Shloka 21

Bhagadattā’s Deployment Against Ghaṭotkaca; Elephant-Corps Escalation

Devanagari script

धनु: प्रपीड्य वामेन करेणामित्रकर्शन: । शिरक्षिच्छेद समरे शरेणानतपर्वणा

Transliteration

dhanuḥ prapīḍya vāmena kareṇāmitrakarśanaḥ | śiraś ciccheda samare śareṇānataparvaṇā ||

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。左手で弓を強く押さえ、敵を屈する者は、戦場のただ中において、節の曲がらぬ矢を放ち、相手の首を断ち切った――武人の義務がためらいなく遂行されるとき、戦の冷酷な精確さと取り返しのつかぬ帰結が現れるのである。

Word by Word

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

• प्रपीड्य: having pressed/strained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पीड्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• वामेन: with the left
• वामेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• करेण: hand
• करेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अमित्रकर्शनः: crusher of foes
• अमित्रकर्शनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित्रकर्शन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चिच्छेद: cut off
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शरेण: with an arrow
• शरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अनतपर्वणा: having unbent joints/knots (straight-jointed)
• अनतपर्वणा: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनतपर्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• धनुः (bow)
• शर (arrow)
• शिरः (head)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the stark moral gravity of warfare: when a warrior commits to battle as duty, actions become swift and irreversible, highlighting both the discipline of martial skill and the heavy ethical cost of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a battlefield moment where a warrior, bracing his bow with the left hand, releases a well-forged arrow and decapitates an opponent in combat.