Shloka 55
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
स विद्धस्तै: शरैघरिद्रोंणपुत्र: प्रतापवान् उत्सृज्य समरे राजन् पाज्चाल्यममितौजसम्
sa viddhais taiḥ śarair ghorair droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān utsṛjya samare rājan pāñcālyam amitaujasam | rājan! tān bhayaṅkarabāṇair āhataḥ pratāpī vīro droṇaputro 'śvatthāmā samarāṅgaṇe amitabalavān dhṛṣṭadyumnam utsṛjya svārathaṃ samāruhya | sa dhanañjayabāṇair atyantaṃ pīḍitaḥ; tasmād so 'pi śreṣṭhadhanur gṛhītvā bāṇair arjunaṃ vyathayām āsa ||
三阇耶说道：大王啊，德罗那之子阿湿婆他摩英勇无比，被那可怖的箭矢射中后，竟在战阵之中暂且退却，撇下力大无穷的般遮罗勇将提湿陀提耶摩那。随后他登上自己的战车；被檀那阇耶之箭折磨得甚苦，便执起上等神弓，反以箭雨射伤阿周那。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the self-perpetuating cycle of violence in war: being wounded leads to retaliation. It reflects the kṣatriya battlefield code where endurance and counter-attack are expected, while also implicitly showing how conflict escalates through reciprocal harm.
Aśvatthāmā, badly struck by Arjuna’s arrows, disengages from Dhṛṣṭadyumna and returns to his chariot. Despite his pain, he takes up his bow and shoots back, wounding Arjuna with arrows.