Shloka 35
Adhyāya 61: Saṃmohana-astra and the Kuru Withdrawal (संमोहनास्त्रं तथा कुरुनिवृत्तिः)
तस्य जिष्णुरुपावृत्य ध्वजं मूलादपातयत् । विकृष्य कलधौताग्रै: स विद्ध: प्रापतद् भुवि,तब अर्जुनने उनकी ओर घूमकर सुनहरी धारवाले बाणोंसे भीष्मजीकी ध्वजाको जड़से काट गिराया, बाणोंसे छिद जानेके कारण वह ध्वजा पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ी
tasya jiṣṇur upāvṛtya dhvajaṁ mūlād apātayat | vikṛṣya kaladhautāgraiḥ sa viddhaḥ prāpatad bhuvi ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: Então Jiṣṇu (Arjuna), fazendo o carro voltar-se para ele, derrubou o estandarte desde a própria base. Arrastado e trespassado por flechas cujas pontas brilhavam como ouro refinado, aquele pendão—crivado de perfurações—caiu sobre a terra.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in righteous warfare, symbolic targets like a banner can be struck to weaken the opponent’s morale and command-signals; it reflects disciplined valor and tactical clarity within kṣatriya-dharma rather than indiscriminate violence.
Arjuna (called Jiṣṇu) turns toward the opponent and shoots so as to sever the enemy’s standard at its base; pierced by the arrows, the banner collapses and falls to the ground.