Shloka 9
Karṇa’s Camp-Council Discourse: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament, Sañjaya’s Counsel, and Karṇa’s Request for Śalya
Book 8, Chapter 22
तमापतन्तं विशिखं यमदण्डोपमत्विषम् | खड्गेन शितधारेण द्विधा चिच्छेद कौरव:,यमदण्डके समान प्रकाशित होनेवाले उस बाणको आते देख कुरुवंशी दुःशासनने तीखी धारवाले खड्गसे उसके दो टुकड़े कर डाले
tam āpatantaṁ viśikhaṁ yamadaṇḍopamatviṣam | khaḍgena śitadhāreṇa dvidhā ciccheda kauravaḥ ||
യമദണ്ഡംപോലെ ജ്വലിച്ചു പാഞ്ഞുവന്ന ആ അമ്പിനെ കണ്ട കൗരവൻ ദുശ്ശാസനൻ മൂർച്ചയുള്ള വാളാൽ അതിനെ രണ്ടായി വെട്ടിമുറിച്ചു।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic where presence of mind and mastery over weapons determine survival; death is portrayed as imminent (Yama’s rod), yet the warrior responds with disciplined skill rather than panic—showing how martial competence can momentarily check fate’s approach.
An arrow, described as blazing like Yama’s punitive staff, flies toward the Kaurava warrior Duḥśāsana. He intercepts it and slices it into two pieces with a sharp sword.