Shloka 9
Karṇa’s Camp-Council Discourse: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament, Sañjaya’s Counsel, and Karṇa’s Request for Śalya
Book 8, Chapter 22
तमापतन्तं विशिखं यमदण्डोपमत्विषम् | खड्गेन शितधारेण द्विधा चिच्छेद कौरव:,यमदण्डके समान प्रकाशित होनेवाले उस बाणको आते देख कुरुवंशी दुःशासनने तीखी धारवाले खड्गसे उसके दो टुकड़े कर डाले
tam āpatantaṁ viśikhaṁ yamadaṇḍopamatviṣam | khaḍgena śitadhāreṇa dvidhā ciccheda kauravaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Melihat anak panah itu meluru ke arahnya, menyala laksana tongkat hukuman Yama, sang Kaurava (Duḥśāsana) membelahnya menjadi dua dengan pedang bermata tajam. Adegan ini menonjolkan ketepatan getir kemahiran di medan perang—niat membunuh disambut bukan dengan renungan, tetapi dengan tindak balas pantas; dan alat kematian diperlakukan sebagai sesuatu yang harus dikuasai, bukan ditakuti.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic where presence of mind and mastery over weapons determine survival; death is portrayed as imminent (Yama’s rod), yet the warrior responds with disciplined skill rather than panic—showing how martial competence can momentarily check fate’s approach.
An arrow, described as blazing like Yama’s punitive staff, flies toward the Kaurava warrior Duḥśāsana. He intercepts it and slices it into two pieces with a sharp sword.