Shloka 22
दण्डधारवधः | The Slaying of Daṇḍadhāra
प्रतिविन्ध्यो धनुश्छित्त्वा तस्य भारत सायकै: । पजञ्चभिर्निशितैर्बाणैरथैनं स हि जध्निवान्
prativindhyo dhanuś chittvā tasya bhārata sāyakaiḥ | pañcabhir niśitair bāṇair athainaṃ sa hi jadhnivān ||
ഹേ ഭാരത! പ്രതിവിന്ധ്യൻ തന്റെ അമ്പുകളാൽ അവന്റെ ധനുസ്സ് മുറിച്ചുതള്ളി; പിന്നെ അഞ്ചു മൂർച്ചയുള്ള ബാണങ്ങളാൽ അവനെ അടിച്ചു വീഴ്ത്തി.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: technical mastery (disarming by cutting the bow) becomes decisive and lethal. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension—dharma-bound duty in battle versus the sorrowful cost of violence within a kinship war.
Sañjaya reports that Prativindhya first severs his opponent’s bow with arrows, then follows up with five sharp arrows and brings the opponent down (kills or mortally fells him), marking a swift turn in the combat.