Shloka 80

Devanagari script

तेडपि त॑ प्रत्यविध्यन्त सप्तभि: सप्तभि: शरै:,तब उन महारथियोंने भी कृतवर्माको सात-सात बाण मारे। उस समय क्रोधमें भरे हुए महारथी कृतवर्माने हँसते हुए ही समरांगणमें एक क्षुरप्रद्वारा शिखण्डीका धनुष काट डाला

Transliteration

te 'pi taṁ pratyavidhyanta saptabhiḥ saptabhiḥ śaraiḥ | tataḥ kruddho mahārathaḥ kṛtavarmā hasann iva samaraṅgaṇe ekēna kṣurapreṇa śikhaṇḍinaḥ dhanuś ciccheda ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: They too struck him in return, each with seven arrows. Then Kṛtavarmā, a great chariot-warrior, filled with anger yet seeming to laugh, cut down Śikhaṇḍin’s bow on the battlefield with a single razor-headed shaft. The episode underscores how, amid the fury of war, prowess and tactical skill are displayed even as wrath drives men to disable an opponent’s means of fighting rather than merely to wound.

Word by Word

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रत्यविध्यन्त: pierced/shot at
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + व्यध्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• सप्तभिः: with seven
• सप्तभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: सप्तन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सप्तभिः: with seven (each)
• सप्तभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: सप्तन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Kṛtavarmā
• Śikhaṇḍin
• arrows (śara)
• razor-headed arrow (kṣurapra)
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• battlefield (samaraṅgaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger and rivalry in war can lead to calculated tactics: instead of only injuring the opponent, a warrior may disable the opponent’s weapon, showing that power must be governed by restraint and discernment even amid conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Kṛtavarmā is struck back by multiple warriors—each hitting him with seven arrows—he responds swiftly. Laughing in a taunting manner despite his anger, he shoots a razor-headed arrow that severs Śikhaṇḍin’s bow, temporarily neutralizing him.