Shloka 10
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 54 — Missile-Exchange and Tactical Redirection
Arjuna, Aśvatthāman, Karṇa
ततो विकर्णस्य धरनुर्विकृष्य जाम्बूनदाग्रयोपचितं दृढज्यम् | अपातयत् तं ध्वजमस्य मथ्य च्छिन्नध्वज: सो5प्यपयाज्जवेन,तब अर्जुनने अपने बाणोंसे जाम्बूनद नामक उत्तम सुवर्ण मढ़े हुए सुदृढ़ प्रत्यज्जावाले विकर्णके धनुषको काटकर उसके ध्वजको भी टुकड़े-टुकड़े करके गिरा दिया। रथकी ध्वजा कट जानेपर विकर्ण बड़े वेगसे भाग निकला
tato vikarṇasya dhanuḥ vikṛṣya jāmbūnadāgrayopacitaṁ dṛḍhajyam | apātayat taṁ dhvajam asya mathya cchinnadhvajaḥ so 'py apayāj javena ||
Então Arjuna, retesando o arco, atingiu o arco de Vikarna—ornado com o mais fino ouro Jāmbūnada e armado com uma corda firme e tensa—e o cortou. Também despedaçou e derrubou o estandarte de Vikarna. Com a insígnia decepada, Vikarna retirou-se rapidamente do campo.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a kṣatriya-style ethic and battlefield prudence: neutralize an opponent’s fighting capacity and morale (bow and banner) decisively, avoiding gratuitous violence while asserting rightful dominance in combat.
Arjuna strikes Vikarna’s gold-adorned, tightly strung bow and brings it down, then shatters Vikarna’s banner; seeing his standard cut, Vikarna retreats rapidly from the battlefield.