Shloka 26

Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

ततः पार्थों धनुस्तस्य भल्लेन निशितेन ह । चिच्छेदेकेन भूयश्व हस्तावापमथाहरत्‌,तब अर्जुनने एक तीखे भल्ल नामक बाणद्धारा कृपाचार्यका धनुष काट डाला और पुनः उनके दस्तानेको नष्ट कर दिया

Transliteration

tataḥ pārtho dhanus tasya bhallena niśitena ha | cicchedaikena bhūyaś ca hastāvāpam athāharat ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then Pārtha (Arjuna), with a single sharp bhalla-arrow, cut down Kṛpācārya’s bow; and again he struck, destroying the protective hand-guards. The episode highlights Arjuna’s controlled mastery in battle—disarming an elder teacher without needless slaughter, asserting superiority while restraining excess harm.

Word by Word

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

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भल्लेन: with a bhalla-arrow
• भल्लेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• निशितेन: sharp, whetted
• निशितेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• ह: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• चिच्छेद: cut, severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एकेन: with one (single arrow)
• एकेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भूयः: again, further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• हस्तौ: two hands
• हस्तौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• आपम्: hand-guard/arm-protector (āpa)
• आपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अहरत्: struck/removed (lit. carried off)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Kṛpācārya
• dhanuḥ (bow)
• bhalla (arrow)
• hastāvāpa (hand-guards/arm-guards)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, power should be governed by restraint and discernment: Arjuna demonstrates superiority by disarming and disabling rather than pursuing needless killing, aligning martial excellence with ethical control.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna (Pārtha) shoots a sharp bhalla-arrow that severs Kṛpācārya’s bow, and then strikes again to destroy his protective hand-guards, effectively neutralizing him in combat.