Shloka 17
Duryodhana’s Anxiety, Bhīṣma’s Reassurance, and Renewed Mobilization (दुर्योधनचिन्ता–भीष्मप्रत्याश्वासन–सेनानिर्गमनम्)
दुर्योधनस्तु दशभिर्गार्ध्रपत्रै: शिलाशितै: । भीमसेनं महेष्वासं रुक्मपुड्खै: समार्पयत्
duryodhanas tu daśabhir gārdhrapatraiḥ śilāśitaiḥ | bhīmasenaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ rukmapuṅkhaiḥ samārpayat ||
ਸੰਜਯ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਪਰ ਦੁਰਯੋਧਨ ਨੇ ਪੱਥਰ ਉੱਤੇ ਤਿੱਖੇ ਕੀਤੇ, ਗਿਦੜ-ਪੰਖਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਸਜੇ ਅਤੇ ਸੁਵਰਨ ਪੁੰਖ ਵਾਲੇ ਦਸ ਬਾਣਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਮਹਾਧਨੁਰਧਰ ਭੀਮਸੇਨ ਨੂੰ ਬੇਧ ਕੇ ਭਾਰੀ ਘਾਅ ਲਾਇਆ।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how, once war is embraced, determination and skill are often directed toward harm; it implicitly warns that unchecked enmity escalates suffering, even while depicting the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness in combat.
Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana shoots Bhīma with ten sharp, well-crafted arrows (stone-whetted, vulture-feathered, gold-fletched), wounding the powerful Pāṇḍava warrior in the midst of battle.