Shloka 25

अध्याय २६ — शल्यस्य सारथ्य-नियोजनं, कर्णस्य प्रस्थानं, उत्पातदर्शनं च

Chapter 26: Śalya appointed as charioteer; Karṇa’s departure; portents

Devanagari script

ततो रजतपुड्खेन राजज्शीर्ष महात्मन: । मित्रदेवस्य चिच्छेद क्षुरप्रेण महारथ:,राजन! फिर महारथी धनंजयने रजतमय पंखवाले क्षुरप्रसे महामना मित्रदेवके मस्तकको काट डाला

Transliteration

tato rajatapudkhena rājaśīrṣa mahātmanaḥ | mitradevasya ciccheda kṣurapreṇa mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Dann hieb der große Wagenkämpfer Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) mit einem rasiermesserscharfen Pfeil, der silberne Federn trug, dem edlen Mitradeva das Haupt ab.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• रजतपुड्खेन: with the silver-feathered (arrow)
• रजतपुड्खेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजतपुड्ख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• राजशीर्षम्: the head (royal head)
• राजशीर्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजशीर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (man)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• मित्रदेवस्य: of Mitradeva
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्रदेव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• चिच्छेद: cut off, severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• क्षुरप्रेण: with a razor-edged (arrow/weapon)
• क्षुरप्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुरप्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महारथः: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• Mitradeva
• kṣurapra (razor-edged arrow)
• silver-feathered arrow (rajatapudkha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya-dharma in a declared war: once battle is joined, decisive action is taken without wavering, even against a noble foe. It implicitly contrasts personal worth with the impersonal demands of duty and the momentum of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna (Dhanañjaya), an elite warrior, shoots a razor-edged arrow with silver fletching and severs the head of Mitradeva, killing him in the course of the battle described in Karṇa Parva.