Shloka 316
Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava
Devanagari script
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
Transliteration
nārācena sumuktena nijaghāna pitā tava |
Translation
Sañjaya said: With a well-released nārāca arrow, your father struck down his foe. The passage underscores the grim efficiency of battlefield skill—how a single, expertly loosed missile can pierce even armored warriors—highlighting the ethical tension of war: prowess and duty on one side, and the heavy cost in lives on the other.
Word by Word
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
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaD
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tava')P
pitā (your father; context-dependent)N
nārāca (weapon/arrow)Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Geographic Context
Sandhi Notes