Shloka 54

ततः पार्थो धनुर्गृह्ा दिव्यं जलदनि:स्वनम्‌ । पातयामास भीष्मस्य धनुश्कछित्त्वा त्रिभि: शरै:,तब अर्जुनने मेघके समान गम्भीर घोष करनेवाले दिव्य धनुषको हाथमें लेकर तीन बाणोंसे भीष्मके धनुषको काट गिराया

tataḥ pārtho dhanur gṛhya divyaṁ jaladanisvanam | pātayāmāsa bhīṣmasya dhanuś chittvā tribhiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Sañjaya said: Then Pārtha (Arjuna), taking up his divine bow that resounded like a thundercloud, struck down Bhīṣma’s bow—cutting it with three arrows. The moment underscores Arjuna’s disciplined martial skill used in the grave duty of war, where restraint and precision matter as much as force.

ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
Formindeclinable (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereafter')
पार्थःPartha (Arjuna)
पार्थः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपार्थ
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
धनुःbow
धनुः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधनुस्
Formneuter, accusative, singular
गृह्यhaving taken/held
गृह्य:
TypeVerb
Rootग्रह्
Formabsolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), 'having taken'
दिव्यम्divine
दिव्यम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootदिव्य
Formneuter, accusative, singular
जलदनिःस्वनम्having the sound of a cloud (thunderous-sounding)
जलदनिःस्वनम्:
TypeNoun
Rootजलद-निःस्वन
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
पातयामासcaused to fall, felled
पातयामास:
TypeVerb
Rootपत् (पातयति)
Formperfect periphrastic (लिट्-परस्मैपद), 3rd person, singular
भीष्मस्यof Bhishma
भीष्मस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootभीष्म
Formmasculine, genitive, singular
धनुःbow
धनुः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधनुस्
Formneuter, accusative, singular
छित्त्वाhaving cut
छित्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootछिद्
Formabsolutive (क्त्वा), 'having cut'
त्रिभिःwith three
त्रिभिः:
TypeNumeral/Adjective
Rootत्रि
Formmasculine/neuter, instrumental, plural
शरैःwith arrows
शरैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशर
Formmasculine, instrumental, plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
P
Pārtha (Arjuna)
B
Bhīṣma
D
divine bow
A
arrows

Educational Q&A

Even amid violence, dharma emphasizes disciplined action: skill, restraint, and purpose. Arjuna’s precise disabling of Bhīṣma’s weapon highlights controlled force rather than indiscriminate harm, aligning martial prowess with duty.

Sañjaya describes Arjuna taking up his thunderous divine bow and, with three arrows, cutting Bhīṣma’s bow so that it falls—an episode of tactical superiority in the Bhīṣma-led battle.