Mahabharata 6.116.24 — Bhishma Parva, Adhyaya 116, Shloka 24
भीष्मस्य जलप्रार्थना — अर्जुनस्य पर्जन्यास्त्रप्रयोगः — दुर्योधनं प्रति सन्ध्युपदेशः
Bhīṣma’s request for water; Arjuna’s Parjanya-astra; counsel to Duryodhana on reconciliation
सच तान् प्रतिविव्याध पठ्चभि: पज्चभि: शरै: । शल्यं विव्याध सप्तत्या पुनश्न दशभि: शरै:
sa ca tān prativivyādha pañcabhiḥ pañcabhiḥ śaraiḥ | śalyaṁ vivyādha saptatyā punaś ca daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ ||
அப்போது பீமனும் அவர்களில் ஒவ்வொருவரையும் ஐந்து அம்புகளால் எதிர்வெட்டாகத் துளைத்தான். பின்னர் சல்யனை எழுபது அம்புகளாலும், மீண்டும் பத்து அம்புகளாலும் துளைத்தான்.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse reflects the kṣatriya battlefield ethic: measured yet forceful response to aggression, where prowess and resolve are displayed through disciplined counteraction rather than withdrawal.
Sañjaya reports a warrior (contextually identified in the accompanying Hindi as Bhīmasena) retaliating by wounding multiple opponents with five arrows each, then concentrating fire on Śalya—first with seventy arrows and then with ten more.
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