Shloka 53
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
निकृत्तान्येव तानि सम समदृश्यन्त भारत । ततस्ते तु निमेषार्धात् प्रत्यपद्यन् धनूंषि च
sañjaya uvāca |
nikṛttāny eva tāni samaṃ samadṛśyanta bhārata |
tatas te tu nimeṣārdhāt pratyapadyan dhanūṃṣi ca bhārata |
śvetasyopari caikataḥ sapta bāṇān vyasṛjan |
atha ameyātma-balopetaḥ mahā-bāhuḥ śvetaḥ punaḥ śīghra-gāmibhiḥ sapta bhallaiḥ teṣāṃ dhanurdharāṇāṃ dhanūṃṣi ciccheda ||
三阇耶说道：噢，婆罗多啊，那些被斩断的弓这才清楚可见，整齐地躺着，仿佛一刀平削。随即——仅在半次眨眼之间——那些弓手又取新弓，并同时向湿婆多射出七箭。于是，臂力雄伟、心力无量的湿婆多迅疾放出七支疾飞的“婆罗”（bhalla）箭，再次斩断了那些弓手的弓。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores kṣatriya discipline: mastery over weapons, presence of mind, and swift, proportionate response in battle. Ethical context lies in using skill as duty-bound action (dharma) rather than cruelty—precision that disables the opponent’s capacity to fight (cutting bows) rather than indiscriminate slaughter.
After their bows are cut, the opposing archers quickly take new bows and shoot seven arrows at Śveta simultaneously. Śveta immediately counters with seven fast bhalla arrows and cuts their bows again, demonstrating superior speed and accuracy.