Shloka 20
Saubhadra under Concentrated Assault; Pārṣata’s Intervention and Escalation
लाघवाद् व्यंसयामास गदां हेमविभूषिताम् | व्यंसयित्वा गदां तां च प्रेषयामास पार्षतम्,उन्होंने बड़ी फुर्तीसे उस स्वर्णभूषित गदाको व्यर्थ कर दिया। इस प्रकार उस गदाको निष्फल करके द्रोणाचार्यने धृष्टद्युम्नपर सुवर्णमय पंखोंसे युक्त अत्यन्त तीक्ष्ण पानीदार और भयंकर 'भल्ल'” नामक बाण चलाये। वे बाण धृष्टद्युम्मका कवच छेदकर रणक्षेत्रमें उनका रक्त पीने लगे
sañjaya uvāca | lāghavād vyaṃsayāmāsa gadāṃ hemavibhūṣitām | vyaṃsayitvā gadāṃ tāṃ ca preṣayāmāsa pārṣatam |
Sanjaya berkata: Dengan kepantasan yang cekap, dia menjadikan gada berhias emas itu tidak berkesan; dan setelah menumpaskannya demikian, Droṇācārya pun melancarkan serangan terhadap putera Pṛṣata.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that in war, mere possession of power (a formidable weapon) does not guarantee success; disciplined agility and trained technique can nullify brute force. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension: martial excellence can be admirable as kṣatriya-skill, yet it also accelerates the cycle of harm when directed toward destruction.
Sanjaya reports that a combatant swiftly neutralizes a gold-ornamented mace, rendering it useless, and then directs his assault toward Pārṣata—Dhṛṣṭadyumna—continuing the battle’s momentum by shifting from defense (foiling the mace) to offense (sending an attack at the opponent).