Shloka 38
द्रौणिप्रतिज्ञा–नारायणास्त्रवर्णनम्
Drauṇi’s Vow and the Description of the Nārāyaṇāstra
दुःशासन तु समरे प्रतिविन्ध्यो महारथ: । नवश्ि: सायकैर्विद्ध्वा पुनर्विव्याध सप्तभि:,तत्पश्चात् महारथी प्रतिविन्ध्यने समरभूमिमें दुःशासनको नौ बाणोंसे घायल करके फिर सात बाणोंसे बींध डाला
sañjaya uvāca | duḥśāsanas tu samare prativindhyo mahārathaḥ | navaś ca sāyakair viddhvā punar vivyādha saptabhiḥ ||
सञ्जय उवाच—समरे तु महारथः प्रतिविन्ध्यो दुःशासनं नवभिः सायकैर्विद्ध्वा पुनः सप्तभिर्विव्याध।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of kṣatriya-dharma—valor and persistence in combat—while also implicitly revealing how war normalizes repeated injury and retaliation, challenging ideals of restraint and compassion.
During the battle, Prativindhya, described as a mahāratha, wounds Duḥśāsana with nine arrows and then strikes him again with seven, emphasizing the intensity and continuity of the duel.