Mahabharata 7.116.81 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 116, Shloka 81
Śaineya’s Breakthrough and Reunion with Arjuna (शैनेयस्य समागमः)
शिखण्डिनस्ततः: क्रुद्धः क्षुरप्रेण महारथ: । धनुश्रिच्छेद समरे प्रहसन्निव सात्वत:
śikhaṇḍinas tataḥ kruddhaḥ kṣurapreṇa mahārathaḥ | dhanuś ciccheda samare prahasann iva sātvataḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Lalu Kṛtavarmā, pahlawan kereta perang agung yang menyala oleh amarah, sambil tersenyum seolah-olah mengejek di tengah gelanggang, memutuskan busur Śikhaṇḍin dengan sebatang anak panah bermata tajam seperti pisau cukur.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic where tactical superiority—such as disarming an opponent—can decide outcomes swiftly. It also reflects how, in the heat of war, emotions like anger may coexist with a display of confidence or contempt (the ‘smiling’), emphasizing the harsh psychological dimension of combat.
Sañjaya reports that Kṛtavarmā, angered in the fight, uses a razor-edged arrow (kṣurapra) to cut Śikhaṇḍin’s bow, effectively disarming him in that moment and gaining an advantage in the ongoing battle.
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