Shloka 25
भीष्मस्य मण्डलव्यूहः — Bhīṣma’s Maṇḍala Battle-Formation and the Opening Engagements
अथीैषां छिन्नधनुषां शरै: संनतपर्वभि: । चिच्छेद समरे राजन शिरांसि भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ) इनके धनुष कट जानेपर झुकी हुई गाँठवाले बाणोंसे भूरिश्रवाने उनके मस्तक भी समर-भूमिमें काट गिराये
athaiṣāṁ chinnadhanuṣāṁ śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ | ciccheda samare rājan śirāṁsi bharatarṣabha ||
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja—setelah busur mereka diputuskan—Bhūriśravas, dengan anak panah yang beruas bengkok, menetak putus kepala mereka di medan perang, wahai lembu jantan kaum Bharata.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: tactical superiority (disarming the opponent) can immediately become fatal dominance. It implicitly raises a dharmic question about restraint and proportionality once an enemy is rendered helpless, a recurring ethical tension in the Mahābhārata’s war narrative.
Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that after certain warriors had their bows cut, Bhūriśravas used specialized arrows (described as having bent joints) to sever their heads in the midst of battle.