Shloka 453
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
अथ त्यक्त्वा धर्नुर्वीर: पार्षतं त्वरितोडन्वगात् । राजन! जब वीर द्रोणकुमार बाणोंद्वारा उनका वध न कर सका, तब वह धनुष फेंककर तुरंत ही धृष्टद्युम्नकी ओर दौड़ा
atha tyaktvā dhanur vīraḥ pārṣataṃ tvarito 'nvagāt | rājan, yadā vīraḥ droṇakumāraḥ bāṇair vadhāya na śaśāka, tadā sa dhanur nikṣipya tūrṇaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnam abhidudrāva |
Sañjaya thưa: “Rồi vị dũng sĩ ấy quăng bỏ cung, vội vã đuổi theo con trai của Pṛṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna). Tâu Đại vương, khi người con anh dũng của Droṇa không thể giết chàng bằng tên, chàng liền ném cung xuống và lập tức lao thẳng vào Dhṛṣṭadyumna.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how, in war, a warrior may abandon one method when it fails and immediately adopt another—here, shifting from archery to a direct charge. Ethically, it reflects the intensity of kṣatriya combat where determination to overcome an opponent can lead to escalation, raising questions about restraint versus resolve.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Aśvatthāmā, unable to kill Dhṛṣṭadyumna with arrows, throws down his bow and rushes after him, pursuing him swiftly for close combat.