Shloka 32
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
पूर्णायतविसृष्टेन क्षुरेण निशितेन च । ध्वजमेकेन चिच्छेद भीमसेनस्य पत्रिणा,फिर धनुषको पूरी तरहसे खींचकर छोड़े हुए एक पंखयुक्त तीखे बाणसे भीमसेनकी ध्वजा काट डाली
pūrṇāyatavisṛṣṭena kṣureṇa niśitena ca | dhvajam ekena ciccheda bhīmasenasya patriṇā ||
三阇耶说：他以一支锋利如剃刀的利箭——满弓引发，劲力放出，又带羽翼以疾飞——一箭便斩断了毗摩塞那的战旗。在这场战争的道义氛围中，此举不仅是武艺之强，更是有意击中对手荣誉与士气的象征，使随正战而来的心理角力愈加尖锐。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, actions carry symbolic weight: striking a banner targets an opponent’s honor and morale, showing that conflict involves ethical restraint, reputation, and psychological pressure alongside physical force.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior (implied from context) shoots a fully drawn, razor-edged, winged arrow and, with a single shot, cuts down Bhīma’s standard—an emphatic display of precision meant to unsettle the opposing side.