Shloka 71
Devanagari script
स धनु: सूतपुत्रस्य सज्यं छित्ता महानसि:
Transliteration
sa dhanuḥ sūtaputrasya sajyaṃ chittvā mahān asi
Translation
Sañjaya said: “Having cut the bow of the charioteer’s son while it was strung and ready for use, you have shown yourself to be truly great.”
Word by Word
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
धनुःbow
धनुः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधनुस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सूतपुत्रस्यof the charioteer’s son (Karna)
सूतपुत्रस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootसूतपुत्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
सज्यम्strung (with the bowstring on)
सज्यम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसज्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
छित्त्वाhaving cut/broken
छित्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootछिद्
FormAbsolutive (Gerund)
महानसिO great-armed one / O mighty one
महानसि:
TypeNoun
Rootमहानसि
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaS
Sūtaputra (Karna)B
bow (dhanuḥ)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
The verse highlights the ideal of martial excellence and decisive action in battle: disabling an opponent by severing a weapon at the moment it is ready underscores mastery, courage, and the harsh ethical reality of war where skill can determine destiny.
Sañjaya describes a battlefield feat in which the bow belonging to the ‘charioteer’s son’ (Karna) is cut while strung, and he praises the doer as ‘great’ for accomplishing such a difficult act amid combat.