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Shloka 316

Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava

नाराचेन सुमुक्तेन निजघान पिता तव । आपके ताऊ भीष्म अच्छी तरहसे छोड़े हुए एक ही नाराचके द्वारा एक जगह बैठे हुए दो-तीन हाथी-सवारोंको कवच धारण किये होनेपर भी छेद डालते थे

nārācena sumuktena nijaghāna pitā tava |

قال سانجيا: بسهم «ناراجا» أُطلق بإتقان، صرع أبوك خصمه. ويُبرز هذا المقطع الكفاءة القاتمة لمهارة ساحة القتال—كيف يمكن لمقذوف واحد، إذا أُحسن إطلاقه، أن يخترق حتى المحاربين المدرّعين—مُظهِرًا توتر الحرب الأخلاقي: البأس والواجب من جهة، وثِقَل الأرواح المهدورة من جهة أخرى.

नाराचेनwith an iron arrow (nārāca)
नाराचेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootनाराच
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
सुमुक्तेनwell-released/skillfully discharged
सुमुक्तेन:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootसुमुक्त
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
निजघानstruck down/slew
निजघान:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootनि-हन्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular
पिताfather
पिता:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तवof you/your
तव:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootत्वद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tava')
P
pitā (your father; context-dependent)
N
nārāca (weapon/arrow)

Educational Q&A

The verse foregrounds the power of disciplined skill in war—one well-aimed act can decide life and death—while implicitly reminding the listener of the moral weight carried by warriors performing their duty amid destructive conflict.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a combatant described as 'your father' struck down an opponent using a single, expertly loosed nārāca arrow, emphasizing decisive battlefield action.