Shloka 24
अविध्यद् दशभिर्भ॑ष्म॑ छिन्नधन्वानमाहवे । सारथिं दशभिश्चास्य ध्वजं चैकेन चिच्छिदे
sañjaya uvāca | avidhyad daśabhir bhīṣmaṃ chinnadhanvān amāhave | sārathiṃ daśabhiś cāsya dhvajaṃ caikena cicchide |
ສັນຊະຍະກ່າວວ່າ: ໃນສະໜາມຮົບ ສິຂັນດິນໄດ້ຍິງພີສະມະ—ຜູ້ທີ່ຄັນທະນູຖືກຕັດແລ້ວ—ດ້ວຍລູກສອນສິບດອກ. ລາວຍັງຍິງຄົນຂັບລົດຮົບຂອງພີສະມະດ້ວຍລູກສອນສິບດອກ ແລະດ້ວຍລູກສອນດອກດຽວກໍຕັດທຸງໃຫ້ຂາດ. ພາບນີ້ຊີ້ໃຫ້ເຫັນກົນໄກອັນໂຫດຮ້າຍຂອງສົງຄາມ: ເມື່ອນັກຮົບຖືກປົດອາວຸດ ການຕໍ່ສູ້ກໍກາຍເປັນການປະລອງລະຫວ່າງການປົກປ້ອງ ຄວາມເປາະບາງ ແລະຄວາມໄດ້ເປັນຕໍ່າງຍຸດທະສາດ ແມ່ນແຕ່ຕໍ່ໜ້າຜູ້ເຖົ້າຜູ້ມີກຽດສັກສີເຊັ່ນພີສະມະກໍຕາມ.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension in warfare: tactical efficiency can override reverence for age and status. It reflects the kṣatriya world where victory depends on exploiting openings (such as a disarmed opponent), while the broader epic invites reflection on the moral cost of such necessity.
Sañjaya reports that Śikhaṇḍin, taking advantage of Bhīṣma’s bow being cut, shoots Bhīṣma with ten arrows, wounds his charioteer with ten more, and then cuts down Bhīṣma’s banner with a single arrow—intensifying the pressure on Bhīṣma in the ongoing battle.