Shloka 263
पाण्डवपरिचयः—विराटसभायां प्रकाशनम्
Identification of the Pāṇḍavas in Virāṭa’s Court
दुर्योधनस्योत्तमरत्नचित्रं चिच्छेद पार्थो मुकुर्ट शरेण । फिर अअभश्रवत्थामा
duryodhanasyottamaratnacitraṃ ciccheda pārtho mukuṭaśareṇa |
毗湿摩波耶那说：阿周那（帕尔塔）以一箭削断了难敌那顶华丽的、镶嵌宝石的王冠。战阵之中，此举既是尖锐的羞辱，也是克制而精准的技艺展示——宣示胜势而不立刻取命——从而彰显战士即便履行刹帝利之战职，亦能节制杀伐的力量。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in righteous warfare, power is ideally governed by restraint: a warrior may demonstrate superiority and uphold duty without needless killing, using skill to check arrogance and signal moral and tactical dominance.
During the battle episode narrated by Vaiśampāyana, Arjuna shoots an arrow that slices off Duryodhana’s ornate, jewel-studded crown—an emphatic battlefield gesture of defeat and humiliation rather than an immediate lethal strike.