Shloka 19
Ulūpī–Citravāhinī Saṃvāda: Dhanaṃjaya-patana and Prāya-threat
स तत्र राजा तं वीर॑ शरसंघैरनेकश: । अर्दयामास निशितैराशीविषविषोपमै:,राजा बभ्रुवाहनने वहाँ अपने वीर पिताको विषैले साँपोंके समान जहरीले और तेज किये हुए सैकड़ों बाण-समूहोंद्वारा बींधकर अनेक बार पीड़ित किया
sa tatra rājā taṃ vīraṃ śarasaṃghair anekaśaḥ | ardayāmāsa niśitair āśīviṣaviṣopamaiḥ ||
وہاں راجا نے اس بہادر پر بار بار تیروں کے جھنڈ برسائے—تیز دھار اور زہریلے سانپوں کے زہر کی مانند مہلک۔ ان تیراندازیوں سے اس نے اسے بارہا چھیدا اور سخت اذیت پہنچائی۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between kṣatriya conduct in battle and the claims of kinship: warfare can drive one to inflict severe harm even upon a revered opponent, reminding the reader that dharma in conflict is fraught and that violence carries real suffering regardless of justification.
In the encounter described, the king repeatedly strikes the opposing hero with many sharp arrows likened to venomous serpents, wounding and tormenting him—an intense moment within the Ashvamedhika Parva’s martial episode.