Shloka 426
भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः
Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed
विव्याध निशितैस्तीक्ष्गैः कड्कपत्रैरजिद्ागै: । इस प्रकार महाबाहु कृतवर्माने महारथी धृष्टद्युम्नको गहरी चोट पहुँचायी। राजन्! तब धष्टद्युम्नने भी कंकपत्रविभूषित सीधे जानेवाले तीखे एवं पैने नौ बाणोंसे कृतवर्माको क्षत- विक्षत कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca | vivyādha niśitais tīkṣṇaiḥ kaṅkapatrair ajihmagaiḥ | tathā mahābāhuḥ kṛtavarmā mahārathī dhṛṣṭadyumnam gāḍhaṃ vyathayām āsa | rājan, tataḥ dhṛṣṭadyumno 'pi kaṅkapatravibhūṣitaiḥ ṛju-gamibhiḥ tīkṣṇaiḥ niśitaiś ca nava-bāṇaiḥ kṛtavarmāṇaṃ kṣata-vikṣataṃ cakāra |
सञ्जय उवाच—निशितैस्तीक्ष्णैः कङ्कपत्रैरजिह्मगैः शरैः कृतवर्मा महाबाहुर्महारथो धृष्टद्युम्नं विव्याध, तेनास्य गाढां वेदनामजनयत्। ततः, राजन्, धृष्टद्युम्नोऽपि कङ्कपत्रविभूषितैः सरलगैस्तीक्ष्णैर्नवभिः शरैः कृतवर्माणं क्षतविक्षतं चकार।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in war: disciplined courage and proportionate response. Even amid violence, the narrative frames combat as rule-governed contest—skill, steadiness, and accountability for one’s actions—rather than uncontrolled cruelty.
Sañjaya reports a direct exchange of arrow-strikes: Kṛtavarmā grievously wounds Dhṛṣṭadyumna with sharp, straight-flying arrows; Dhṛṣṭadyumna immediately retaliates, striking Kṛtavarmā with nine keen arrows and leaving him cut and bleeding.