Shloka 276
Adhyāya 65: Dawn Assembly, Makara–Śyena Vyūhas, and Commander Engagements
एकैकं पज्चविंशत्या दर्शयन् पाणिलाघवम् | दुर्मषणने बीस, चित्रसेनने पाँच, दुर्मुखने नौ, दुःसहने सात, विविंशतिने पाँच तथा दुःशासनने तीन बाणोंसे उन सबको बींध डाला। राजेन्द्र! तब शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले धष्टद्युम्नने अपने हाथोंकी फुर्ती दिखाते हुए दुर्योधन आदिमेंसे प्रत्येकको पचीस-पचीस बाणोंसे घायल किया
sañjaya uvāca | ekaikaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā darśayan pāṇilāghavam | durmarṣaṇe viṃśatiṃ citrasene pañca durmukhe nava duḥsahane sapta viviṃśatau pañca tathā duḥśāsane trīn bāṇaiḥ tān sarvān viddhvā | rājendra! tataḥ śatrūn santāpayane dhṛṣṭadyumne duryodhanādimeṣu pratyekaṃ pañca-pañcaviṃśatibhir bāṇair āhatān akarot ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Memperlihatkan ketangkasan tangan yang luar biasa, Dhṛṣṭadyumna menikam mereka semua dengan anak panah—dua puluh pada Durmarṣaṇa, lima pada Citrasena, sembilan pada Durmukha, tujuh pada Duḥsaha, lima pada Viviṃśati, dan tiga pada Duḥśāsana. Wahai raja yang terbaik, kemudian Dhṛṣṭadyumna, penyiksa musuh, menunjukkan kepantasan tangannya dengan melukakan Duryodhana dan yang lain-lain, setiap seorang dengan dua puluh lima anak panah.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores disciplined martial conduct: prowess is shown through controlled, precise action rather than indiscriminate violence. In the epic’s ethical frame, such measured skill aligns with kṣatriya-duty—using force purposefully within the rules and aims of battle.
Sañjaya reports that Dhṛṣṭadyumna rapidly shoots and pierces several Kaurava warriors with specified numbers of arrows, and then wounds Duryodhana and others with twenty-five arrows each, emphasizing his speed and battlefield dominance.