Shloka 136

Devanagari script

शिखण्डिनं पुरस्कृत्य धनुश्वास्य समाच्छिनत्‌ । तब किरीटधारी अर्जुनने कुपित हो शिखण्डीको आगे किये हुए ही भीष्मपर धावा किया और उनके धनुषको काट डाला

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍinaṃ puraskṛtya dhanuśvāsy samācchinat |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Placing Śikhaṇḍin in the forefront, Arjuna—wearing his diadem—charged against Bhīṣma in anger and cut down his bow, thereby striking at the very instrument of Bhīṣma’s resistance in the battle.

Word by Word

• शिखण्डिनम्: Shikhandin (as object: Shikhandin)
• शिखण्डिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front / having put forward
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस्-कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Prior action (having done)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आस्य: having taken/held (lit. having sat upon; idiomatically: having grasped/assumed)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Prior action (having done)

• समाच्छिनत्: cut off / severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, Active

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Arjuna
• Bhīṣma
• bow
• diadem/crown (kirīṭa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how dharma in war is often navigated through strategy: Arjuna advances by placing Śikhaṇḍin before him, exploiting Bhīṣma’s moral restraint, and then disables Bhīṣma by cutting his bow—showing that vows and ethical limits can decisively shape outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna, with Śikhaṇḍin positioned at the front, rushes at Bhīṣma and severs Bhīṣma’s bow (and/or its string), weakening Bhīṣma’s ability to fight back at that moment.