Shloka 13
इन्द्रजिद्-लक्ष्मणयुद्धम्
Indrajit and Lakṣmaṇa: Escalation through Concealment
तमभ्याशगतं राजा पदातिं कुन्तिनन्दन: । अर्धचन्द्रेण बाणेन विव्याधोरसि धर्मराट्,उसे पैदल ही पास आया देख कुन्तीनन्दन धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरने अर्धचन्द्राकार बाणसे उसकी छातीको छेद डाला
tam abhyāśagataṃ rājā padātiṃ kuntīnandanaḥ | ardhacandreṇa bāṇena vivyādhorasi dharmarāṭ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśaṃpāyana: Nang makita niyang lumapit na ang kawal-lakad, si Haring Yudhiṣṭhira—anak ni Kuntī, matatag sa dharma—ay tumusok sa dibdib nito gamit ang palasong hugis gasuklay. Kahit sa siksik ng labanan, inilalarawan ang ginawa ni Yudhiṣṭhira bilang disiplinadong paghahari: lakas na ginamit nang tiyak upang salubungin ang agarang banta, hindi bilang kalupitan kundi bilang tungkuling magtanggol sa digmaan.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma in action: a righteous king uses necessary force with restraint and clarity of purpose, responding to an immediate threat as part of kṣatriya duty rather than from anger or cruelty.
An infantryman approaches closely; Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja), seeing this, shoots a crescent-shaped arrow and pierces the man in the chest.