Shloka 63

Devanagari script

तेषां तद्‌ वचन श्रुत्वा क्षत्रधर्मा व्यवस्थित: । अर्धचन्द्रेण चिच्छेद क्षत्रधर्मा महाबल:

Transliteration

teṣāṁ tad vacanaṁ śrutvā kṣatradharmā vyavasthitaḥ | ardhacandreṇa ciccheda kṣatradharmā mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Hearing their words, the mighty warrior—steadfast in the kṣatriya dharma—severed (the foe/weapon) with a crescent-headed arrow, acting with firm resolve in the law of battle.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, plural

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), active

• क्षत्रधर्मा: the one whose duty is that of a kshatriya / the kshatriya-duty-bound (warrior)
• क्षत्रधर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रधर्म
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• व्यवस्थितः: resolved/steadfast/standing firm
• व्यवस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यवस्था (√स्था with vi-ava-)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), masculine, nominative, singular

• अर्धचन्द्रेण: with a half-moon (arrow/weapon)
• अर्धचन्द्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्धचन्द्र
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• चिच्छेद: cut/broke asunder
• चिच्छेद: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: perfect (liṭ), third, singular, active

• क्षत्रधर्मा: the kshatriya-duty-bound warrior
• क्षत्रधर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रधर्म
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• महाबलः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṣatradharmā (epithet/name of a warrior)
• ardhacandra (crescent-headed arrow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma: after assessing words and intent, a warrior must act decisively within the accepted rules of combat, showing steadiness (vyavasthita) rather than hesitation or personal impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that, upon hearing the opposing side’s words, the mighty warrior described as 'kṣatradharmā' responds immediately in battle by severing something—typically an opponent’s weapon, banner, or limb—using an ardhacandra (crescent-headed) arrow.