Shloka 24
अर्जुनस्य द्रोणिप्रतिघातः कर्णोपसर्पणं च
Arjuna Checks Droṇaputra; Karṇa Advances
सुषेणो भीमसेनस्य च्छित्त्वा भल्लेन कार्मुकम् । नाराचै: सप्तभिर्विद्ध्या हृदि भीम॑ ननाद ह,सुषेणने एक भल्लसे भीमसेनके धनुषको काटकर उनकी छातीमें सात नाराचोंका प्रहार करके भयंकर गर्जना की
suṣeṇo bhīmasenasya chittvā bhallena kārmukam | nārācaiḥ saptabhir viddhvā hṛdi bhīmaṁ nanāda ha ||
Sañjaya berkata: Suṣeṇa, setelah memutuskan busur Bhīmasena dengan sebatang anak panah berkepala lebar, lalu menikam Bhīma di dada dengan tujuh batang nārāca. Sesudah melukainya demikian, dia mengaum dengan dahsyat—suatu keberanian medan perang untuk menggoncang tekad musuh di tengah etika pertempuran kṣatriya yang tidak mengenal belas kasihan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya code in war: skill, decisiveness, and intimidation are deployed to gain advantage. Ethically, it reflects how battlefield duty (dharma as martial obligation) can involve calculated violence and psychological pressure, even when directed against formidable opponents.
Sañjaya narrates that Suṣeṇa disables Bhīma by cutting his bow with a bhalla arrow, then wounds him with seven nārāca arrows to the chest/heart-region, and finally roars loudly in triumph and challenge.