Shloka 9
तमापतन्तं विशिखं यमदण्डोपमत्विषम् | खड्गेन शितधारेण द्विधा चिच्छेद कौरव:,यमदण्डके समान प्रकाशित होनेवाले उस बाणको आते देख कुरुवंशी दुःशासनने तीखी धारवाले खड्गसे उसके दो टुकड़े कर डाले
tam āpatantaṁ viśikhaṁ yamadaṇḍopamatviṣam | khaḍgena śitadhāreṇa dvidhā ciccheda kauravaḥ ||
Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Nang makita niyang sumasalpok papalapit ang palaso, nagliliyab na wari’y pamalong parusa ni Yama, hinati ito ng Kaurava (Duḥśāsana) sa dalawa sa pamamagitan ng kanyang matalim na espada. Ipinakikita ng tagpong ito ang mabagsik na katumpakan ng husay sa digmaan—ang hangaring pumatay ay sinasalubong hindi ng pag-aatubili kundi ng mabilis na pagsalungat, at ang mga kasangkapan ng kamatayan ay itinuturing na dapat pagharian, hindi katakutan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic where presence of mind and mastery over weapons determine survival; death is portrayed as imminent (Yama’s rod), yet the warrior responds with disciplined skill rather than panic—showing how martial competence can momentarily check fate’s approach.
An arrow, described as blazing like Yama’s punitive staff, flies toward the Kaurava warrior Duḥśāsana. He intercepts it and slices it into two pieces with a sharp sword.