Shloka 25
भीष्मस्य मण्डलव्यूहः — Bhīṣma’s Maṇḍala Battle-Formation and the Opening Engagements
अथीैषां छिन्नधनुषां शरै: संनतपर्वभि: । चिच्छेद समरे राजन शिरांसि भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ) इनके धनुष कट जानेपर झुकी हुई गाँठवाले बाणोंसे भूरिश्रवाने उनके मस्तक भी समर-भूमिमें काट गिराये
athaiṣāṁ chinnadhanuṣāṁ śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ | ciccheda samare rājan śirāṁsi bharatarṣabha ||
三阇耶说道：大王啊——当他们的弓已被斩断之后——布利湿罗婆斯以节处弯曲的箭矢，在战场上斩落了他们的首级，噢，婆罗多族中的雄牛。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: tactical superiority (disarming the opponent) can immediately become fatal dominance. It implicitly raises a dharmic question about restraint and proportionality once an enemy is rendered helpless, a recurring ethical tension in the Mahābhārata’s war narrative.
Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that after certain warriors had their bows cut, Bhūriśravas used specialized arrows (described as having bent joints) to sever their heads in the midst of battle.