Shloka 42
अर्जुनस्य द्रोणिप्रतिघातः कर्णोपसर्पणं च
Arjuna Checks Droṇaputra; Karṇa Advances
थनुश्विच्छेद भल््लेन जघानाश्रांश्व सप्तभि: । ध्वजमेकेषुणोन्मथ्य त्रिभिस्तं हृद्यताडयत्
sañjaya uvāca | dhanuḥ-śviccheda-bhallena jaghānāśrāṃś ca saptabhiḥ | dhvajam ekeṣuṇonmathya tribhis taṃ hṛdi atāḍayat ||
धनुश्छेदं चकारास्य भल्लेन क्षुरधारिणा । जघानाश्वान् शरैः सप्तभिः ध्वजं चैकेषुणोन्मथ्य ॥ त्रिभिस्तं हृदि ताडयत् वृषसेनं महाबलम् ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the battlefield ethic of kṣatriya-dharma: victory is pursued through decisive, technically precise action—disabling the opponent’s mobility (horses), weapon (bow), and morale-symbol (banner)—even when such efficiency entails severe violence.
In the clash described by Sañjaya, the attacker cuts the opponent’s bow with a bhalla arrow, kills the horses with seven arrows, knocks down the banner with one arrow, and then strikes Vṛṣasena in the chest with three arrows; the accompanying tradition identifies the charioteer as also being slain in this sequence.