Shloka 616

Devanagari script

धनुश्लास्य शिताग्रेण बाणेन निरकृन्तत । युद्ध करते समय युधिष्ठिरके लिये सब कुछ प्रदक्षिण (अनुकूल) हो रहा था। तदनन्तर शल्यने युधिष्ठिरपर सौ बाणोंका प्रहार किया तथा तीखी धारवाले बाणसे उनके धनुषको भी काट दिया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

dhanuḥ ślāṣya śitāgreṇa bāṇena nirakṛntata |

Translation

Sañjaya said: With a sharp-pointed arrow he severed the bow-string and cut the bow. At that moment, everything seemed to turn favorable for Yudhiṣṭhira in the press of battle; yet immediately Śalya struck Yudhiṣṭhira with a hundred arrows and, with a keen-edged shaft, also cut down his bow—showing how swiftly fortune shifts in war and how steadfastness must endure even when advantage appears.

Word by Word

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

• लास्य: with/using (something called) lāsya
• लास्य: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लास्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शिताग्रेण: with a sharp-pointed (one)
• शिताग्रेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिताग्र
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• बाणेन: with an arrow
• बाणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• निरकृन्तत: cut off / severed
• निरकृन्तत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृत् (कृन्तति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Śalya
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• bow-string
• arrow (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when circumstances appear favorable, conflict can reverse in an instant; the ethical emphasis is on steadiness (dhairya) and disciplined resolve in fulfilling one’s duty amid uncertainty, rather than relying on momentary advantage.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the battle, Śalya disrupts Yudhiṣṭhira’s fighting capacity by severing the bow-string/bow with a sharp arrow, then follows up with a heavy volley—described as a hundred arrows—intensifying the duel and testing Yudhiṣṭhira’s composure.