Mahabharata 9.17.64 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 17, Shloka 64
Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)
कार्मुकं चास्य चिच्छेद क्षुराभ्यां ध्वजमेव च । तब धर्मराजने उसे शीघ्रतापूर्वक छः: बाणोंसे बींध डाला तथा दो क्षुरोंसे उसके धनुष और ध्वजको काट दिया ।। ततो<स्य दीप्यमानेन सुदृढेन शितेन च
kārmukaṃ cāsya ciccheda kṣurābhyāṃ dhvajam eva ca | tato 'sya dīpyamānena sudṛḍhena śitena ca ||
Sanjaya berkata: Dengan dua anak panah setajam mata pisau, Yudhiṣṭhira segera memutuskan busur lawannya, dan turut menumbangkan panjinya. Kemudian, dengan sebatang anak panah yang menyala, dipacu kukuh dan tajam, baginda meneruskan serangan—menzahirkan keteguhan berdisiplin seorang raja yang berperang tanpa dendam, namun tanpa ragu apabila perang menuntutnya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid violence, dharma is expressed through restraint and precision: disabling an opponent’s means of combat (bow and banner) reflects controlled force rather than uncontrolled cruelty, aligning battle-action with disciplined duty.
Sañjaya describes a rapid battlefield exchange in which the attacker uses two razor-edged arrows to cut the opponent’s bow and standard, then follows up with a blazing, firmly driven, sharp arrow—indicating continued pressure after disarming strikes.
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