Shloka 43
भीमसेन-धृष्टद्युम्नयोर्वाक्यं
Bhīmasena and Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s Speeches on Kṣātra-Dharma
द्रोणाचार्यके रथकी ओर आते हुए युद्धपरायण भीमसेनको स्वयं राजा दुर्योधनने पैने बाणोंसे बींध डाला ।। त॑ भीमसेनो दशक: शरैरविव्याध मारिष | दुर्योधनो5पि विंशत्या शराणां प्रत्यविध्यत,माननीय नरेश! तब भीमसेनने भी दुर्योधनको दस बाणोंसे घायल किया। फिर दुर्योधनने भी उन्हें बीस बाण मारे
taṁ bhīmaseno daśakaḥ śarair avivyādha māriṣa | duryodhano 'pi viṁśatyā śarāṇāṁ pratyavidhyata ||
सञ्जय उवाच—तं भीमसेनो दशकः शरैरविव्याध मारिष। दुर्योधनोऽपि विंशत्या शराणां प्रत्यविध्यत॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the reciprocal logic of battlefield ethics: a warrior answers an attack with a counterattack, often intensifying the exchange. It implicitly points to how conflict tends to escalate through retaliation, even when framed as kṣatriya-duty.
In the Drona Parva battle sequence, Bhīma wounds Duryodhana with ten arrows; Duryodhana immediately retaliates by striking Bhīma with twenty arrows, showing a fierce exchange of missile combat.