Shloka 14
द्रोणपुत्रस्याग्नेयास्त्रप्रयोगः — अर्जुनस्य ब्राह्मास्त्रप्रतिघातः — व्यासोपदेशः
Aśvatthāmā’s Agneyāstra, Arjuna’s Brāhmāstra Counter, and Vyāsa’s Instruction
स च्छिन्नो बहुधा राजन् सूतपुत्रेण धन्विना । निपपात शरस्तूर्ण निर्विषो भुजगो यथा,राजन! धनुर्धर सूतपुत्रके द्वारा अनेक टुकड़ोंमें कटा हुआ वह बाण विषहीन भुजंगके समान तुरंत पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा
sa cchinnaḥ bahudhā rājan sūtaputreṇa dhanvinā | nipapāta śaras tūrṇaṃ nirviṣo bhujago yathā ||
రాజా! ధనుర్ధరుడైన సూతపుత్రుడు అనేక ముక్కలుగా చీల్చిన ఆ బాణం, విషం లేని సర్పంలా వెంటనే నేలపై పడిపోయింది।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how apparent danger can be neutralized through superior skill and timely action: a weapon meant to kill becomes harmless, like a serpent without poison. Ethically, it points to the battlefield reality that power is contingent—dependent on mastery, vigilance, and circumstance.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that an arrow was sliced into many fragments by Karṇa, the Sūta’s son and a great archer. Once cut, it immediately drops to the ground, compared to a de-fanged or poisonless serpent—no longer capable of harm.