Shloka 21
Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira
Book 9, Chapter 11
अभ्यवर्षत धर्मात्मा कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम् । धर्मात्मा राजा शल्यने वर्षा करनेवाले इन्द्रकी भाँति कुन्तीपुत्र युधिष्ठिरपर बाणोंकी वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी ।। भीमसेनं शरैश्वापि रुक्मपुड्खै: शिलाशितै:,महाबली शल्यने भीमसेन, द्रौपदीके सभी पुत्र, माद्रीकुमार नकुल-सहदेव, धृष्टद्युम्न, सात्यकि तथा शिखण्डी--इनमेंसे प्रत्येकको शिलापर तेज किये हुए सुवर्णमय पंखवाले दस-दस बाणोंसे घायल कर दिया। तत्पश्चात् वे वर्षाकालमें जल बरसानेवाले इन्द्रके समान बाणोंकी वृष्टि करने लगे
sañjaya uvāca |
abhyavarṣata dharmātmā kuntīputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram |
dharmātmā rājā śalyas tu varṣā-karaṇavān iva indraḥ kuntīputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram iṣubhir abhyavarṣat ||
bhīmasenaṃ śaraiś cāpi rukma-puṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ |
mahābalī śalyas tu bhīmasenaṃ draupadeyān mādrīputrau nakula-sahadevau dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ sātyakiṃ śikhaṇḍinaṃ ca pratyekaṃ daśa-daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ samavidhyat |
tataḥ sa varṣā-kāle jalada iva indraḥ śara-vṛṣṭiṃ mumoca ||
संजय म्हणाला: धर्मात्मा राजा शल्यने पावसाळ्यात जल बरसविणाऱ्या इंद्राप्रमाणे कुंतीपुत्र युधिष्ठिरावर बाणांचा वर्षाव सुरू केला. तसेच शिळेवर धार लावलेल्या सुवर्णपंखी बाणांनी भीमसेनालाही घायाळ केले.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid violent conflict, the epic frames warriors through the lens of dharma: the epithet dharmātmā highlights that reputation and inner disposition are judged ethically, while the narrative shows how duty-bound combat can coexist with moral evaluation—without romanticizing the destruction it causes.
Sanjaya reports that King Shalya launches an intense arrow-barrage: first focusing on Yudhishthira, then striking Bhima, Draupadi’s sons, Nakula and Sahadeva, Dhrishtadyumna, Satyaki, and Shikhandi—ten arrows each—likening the missile-storm to Indra’s monsoon rain.