Shloka 5
भीष्मवधाय प्रयाणम् — The Advance toward Bhīṣma and Counter-Engagements
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा भीमसेनं महाबलम् | नाराचेन सुतीक्ष्णेन भृशं मर्मण्यताडयत्,तब राजा दुर्योधनने महाबली भीमसेनके मर्मस्थलोंमें अत्यन्त तीखे नाराचसे गहरी चोट पहुँचायी
tato duryodhano rājā bhīmasenaṁ mahābalam | nārācena sutīkṣṇena bhṛśaṁ marmaṇy atāḍayat |
Sañjaya disse: Então o rei Duryodhana atingiu com ferocidade Bhīma, o de grande força, num ponto vital com uma flecha nārāca afiadíssima.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of war: victory is pursued through calculated force, even by striking vital points. It implicitly invites reflection on how dharma in battle (kṣatriya-dharma) can coexist with intense violence, and how ethical tension escalates when combatants prioritize advantage over compassion.
Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana attacks Bhīma, using a very sharp nārāca arrow to hit him hard in a marma (vital spot), signaling a fierce exchange and an attempt to weaken a formidable opponent quickly.