Shloka 27
Virāṭa’s Conciliation and Uttara’s Account of the Unseen Champion
Bṛhannadā/Arjuna
अथ जिष्णुरुपावृत्य क्षुरधारेण कार्मुकम् । चकर्त भीष्मस्य तदा जातरूपपरिष्कृतम्,तदनन्तर विजयशील अर्जुनने निकट आकर छुरेके समान धारवाले एक बाणसे भीष्मके सुवर्णभूषित धनुषको काट डाला
atha jiṣṇur upāvṛtya kṣuradhāreṇa kārmukam | cakarta bhīṣmasya tadā jātarūpa-pariṣkṛtam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Then Arjuna (Jishnu), drawing near and resetting his stance, with a razor-edged arrow cut down Bhīṣma’s bow, which at that time was adorned and refined with gold. The episode underscores the disciplined precision of a dharma-guided warrior: strength is shown not by cruelty, but by decisive skill that neutralizes an opponent’s power without needless excess.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma expressed through controlled mastery: a warrior’s excellence lies in precise, purposeful action—disabling an adversary’s weaponry rather than indulging in unnecessary harm.
Arjuna, called Jiṣṇu, approaches and with a razor-edged arrow severs Bhīṣma’s gold-adorned bow, demonstrating superior archery and shifting the balance of the encounter by neutralizing Bhīṣma’s immediate fighting capacity.