Shloka 140
अर्जुनस्य शीघ्रप्रयाणं भीम-शकुनियुद्धं च
Arjuna’s Rapid Advance and the Bhīma–Śakuni Encounter
ध्वजं छत्रं पताकाश्न खड्गं शक्ति गदां तथा । जन्रुदेशे च सुभृशं वत्सदन्तैरताडयत्
dhvajaṁ chatraṁ patākāś ca khaḍgaṁ śaktiṁ gadāṁ tathā | grīvā-deśe ca subhṛśaṁ vatsadantair atāḍayat ||
Wika ni Sañjaya: Dinurog ni Arjuna ang sagisag-pandigma, payong, at mga bandila ni Aśvatthāman; gayundin, pinagpira-piraso niya ang espada, sibat, at pamalo (gada) nito. Pagkaraan, buong bagsik niyang tinamaan ang bahagi ng leeg gamit ang mga palasong tinatawag na “Vatsadanta,” at nagdulot ng malalim na sugat—ipinamalas ang bilis at kahusayan sa digmaan, na ang layon ay gawing inutil ang kaaway at hindi ang magpakalunod sa walang saysay na kalupitan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid battle, strength is ideally governed by restraint and purpose: Arjuna’s action emphasizes disabling an opponent by breaking weapons and symbols of power, rather than pursuing gratuitous harm—an application of kṣatriya-dharma where force is used decisively but with an ethical aim.
Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna rapidly destroys Aśvatthāman’s martial equipment—ensign, parasol, banners, sword, spear, and mace—and then delivers a powerful strike to the neck-region using ‘Vatsadanta’ arrows, leaving Aśvatthāman wounded and effectively checked in combat.