Shloka 10
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 54 — Missile-Exchange and Tactical Redirection
Arjuna, Aśvatthāman, Karṇa
ततो विकर्णस्य धरनुर्विकृष्य जाम्बूनदाग्रयोपचितं दृढज्यम् | अपातयत् तं ध्वजमस्य मथ्य च्छिन्नध्वज: सो5प्यपयाज्जवेन
tato vikarṇasya dhanuḥ vikṛṣya jāmbūnadāgrayopacitaṁ dṛḍhajyam | apātayat taṁ dhvajam asya mathya cchinnadhvajaḥ so 'py apayāj javena ||
ततो विकर्णस्य धनुर्विकृष्य जाम्बूनदाग्रयोपचितं दृढज्यम् । अपातयत्तं ध्वजमस्य मध्ये छिन्नध्वजः सोऽप्यपयाज्जवेन ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a kṣatriya-style ethic and battlefield prudence: neutralize an opponent’s fighting capacity and morale (bow and banner) decisively, avoiding gratuitous violence while asserting rightful dominance in combat.
Arjuna strikes Vikarna’s gold-adorned, tightly strung bow and brings it down, then shatters Vikarna’s banner; seeing his standard cut, Vikarna retreats rapidly from the battlefield.