Shloka 28

Nārāyaṇāstra-utpātaḥ — Aśvatthāman’s Rallying Roar after Droṇa’s Fall (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६७)

Devanagari script

तस्य पार्थो धनुश्छित्त्वा हस्तावापं निकृत्य च । प्राहिणोत्नेशितान्‌ बाणान्‌ पज्च राजज्छिलाशितान्‌,राजन! तब कुन्तीकुमार युधिष्ठिरने कृतवर्माके धनुष और दस्तानेको काटकर उसके ऊपर पाँच तीखे बाण चलाये जो शिलापर तेज किये गये थे

Transliteration

tasya pārtho dhanuś chittvā hastāv āpaṁ nikṛtya ca | prāhiṇot neśitān bāṇān pañca rājañ śilāśitān ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Pārtha (Yudhiṣṭhira), having cut down his bow and also severed his hand-guard, released five well-aimed arrows, O King—arrows sharpened upon stone.

Word by Word

तस्यof him/that (person)

पार्थःPartha (Arjuna)

धनुःbow

छित्त्वाhaving cut

हस्तावापम्hand-guard/hand-protector (glove/arm-guard)

निकृत्यhaving cut off

चand

प्राहिणोत्sent/shot forth

नेशितान्directed/aimed

बाणान्arrows

पञ्चfive

राजत्-शिलाशितान्sharpened on a whetstone (lit. stone-sharpened)

राजन्O king!

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (rājan)

Pārtha (Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Kuntī)

bow (dhanuḥ)

arrows (bāṇāḥ)

hand-guard/arm-protector (hastāvāpa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid war, action should be governed by discipline and purpose: first neutralize the opponent’s capacity to cause harm (cutting the bow and protective gear), then employ measured force through well-aimed strikes rather than uncontrolled violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Pārtha (Yudhiṣṭhira) cuts the enemy’s bow and hand-guard, then shoots five stone-sharpened, carefully aimed arrows at him.