Shloka 273

नारायणास्त्र-शमनं द्रौणि-प्रहारश्च

Pacification of the Nārāyaṇāstra and Drauni’s Renewed Assault

Devanagari script

अर्धचन्द्रेण चिच्छेद सज्यं सविशिखं तदा । महाराज! शिखण्डीने उस समय अर्धचन्द्राकार बाण मारकर प्रत्यंचा और बाणसहित कृपाचार्यके विशाल धनुषको काट दिया

Transliteration

ardhacandreṇa ciccheda sajyaṃ saviśikhaṃ tadā | mahārāja! śikhaṇḍīne us samaya ardhacandrākāra bāṇa mārakara pratyañcā aura bāṇasahita kṛpācāryake viśāla dhanuṣako kāṭa diyā

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。「大王よ、その時シカンディンは半月形の鏃をもつ矢を放ち、すでに弦を張り矢を番えたクリパ阿闍梨の大弓を、矢ごと断ち切った。かくして戦中にその攻勢は挫かれた。この一幕は、戦において武器の達人が、ただ肉体を傷つけるのではなく、相手の害をなす手段そのものを断って力を奪うことを示す—能力を無効化して暴を抑える戦術の倫理である。」

Word by Word

अर्धचन्द्रेणwith a half-moon (crescent-shaped arrow)

चand

चिच्छेदcut / severed

सज्यम्strung (with the bowstring on)

सविशिखम्together with the arrow(s)

तदाthen / at that time

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Śikhaṇḍin

Kṛpācārya (Kṛpa)

ardhacandra (crescent-headed arrow)

bow (dhanuṣ)

bowstring (pratyañcā)

arrow (viśikha)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid warfare, a warrior’s skill can be directed toward limiting harm by disabling an opponent’s weapon. The focus on cutting the bow (the means of violence) highlights tactical restraint and the battlefield ethic of neutralizing capability rather than pursuing needless slaughter.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Śikhaṇḍin shoots a crescent-headed arrow and severs Kṛpācārya’s large bow while it is strung and paired with an arrow, effectively disarming him in that exchange.