Shloka 6
अध्याय ५३ — रणमेघोपमा सेना-वर्णना तथा सुषेण-वधोत्तर प्रतिक्रिया
Battle-as-Storm Imagery and the Aftermath of Suṣeṇa’s Fall
कृपस्तु शरवर्ष तद् विनिहत्य महास्त्रवित् । शिखण्डिनं रणे क्रुद्धो विव्याध दशभि: शरै:,महान् अस्त्रवेत्ता कृपाचार्यने शिखण्डीकी उस बाण-वर्षाका निवारण करके कुपित हो उसे दस बाणोंद्वारा घायल कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca |
kr̥pastu śaravarṣa tad vinihatya mahāstravit |
śikhaṇḍinaṃ raṇe kruddho vivyādha daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ ||
सञ्जय उवाच—कृपस्तु महास्त्रविद् तच्छरवर्षं विनिहत्य, रणे क्रुद्धः शिखण्डिनं दशभिः शरैर्विव्याध॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between disciplined martial duty and the destabilizing force of anger: even a highly skilled warrior who can neutralize an attack may, when provoked, respond with intensified violence—inviting reflection on restraint (self-control) as an ethical ideal amid kṣatriya duty.
In the ongoing battle, Śikhaṇḍin releases a heavy shower of arrows. Kr̥pa counters and stops that barrage, then—angered—shoots Śikhaṇḍin with ten arrows, wounding him.