Shloka 9
Adhyāya 21 — Duryodhanasya bāṇavarṣaḥ
Duryodhana’s Arrow-Storm and the Dust-Obscured Engagements
तमायान्तं महाबाहुं प्रवपन्तं शितान् शरान् । जवेनाभ्यपतद् धीमान् हार्दिक्य: शिनिपुजड्भवम्,तीखे बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए शिनिपौत्र महाबाहु सात्यकिको आते देख बुद्धिमान् कृतवर्मा बड़े वेगसे उनका सामना करनेके लिये आ पहुँचा
tam āyāntaṃ mahābāhuṃ pravapantaṃ śitān śarān | javena abhyapatad dhīmān hārdikyaḥ śinipuṇḍbhavam ||
सञ्जय उवाच—तमायान्तं महाबाहुं शिनिपुत्रवंशजं सात्यकिं शितैः शरैः प्रवर्षन्तं दृष्ट्वा, धीमान् हार्दिक्यः कृतवर्मा जवेनाभ्यपतत्, तं प्रत्युद्यतः समभवत्।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos in wartime: when an opponent advances with lethal intent, a warrior bound by duty responds decisively. It implicitly points to the tension between strategic necessity and the moral gravity of violence.
Sātyaki advances while raining sharp arrows; Kṛtavarmā, described as wise and swift, charges forward to meet and oppose him, setting up a direct clash between the two warriors.