Shloka 21

Devanagari script

स सत्यजितमालोक्य तथोदीर्ण महाहवे । अर्धचन्द्रेण चिच्छेद शिरस्तस्य महात्मन:,उस महासमरमें सत्यजितको प्रचण्ड होते देख द्रोणाचार्यने अर्धचन्द्राकार बाणके द्वारा उस महामनस्वी वीरका मस्तक काट डाला

Transliteration

sa satyajitam ālokya tathodīrṇa-mahāhave | ardhacandreṇa ciccheda śiras tasya mahātmanaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Melihat Satyajit mengamuk hebat dalam pertempuran besar itu, Droṇācārya memenggal kepala pahlawan berhati luhur itu dengan anak panah berbentuk bulan sabit. Adegan ini menonjolkan ketegasan yang kejam dalam perang, di mana keberanian termasyhur pun boleh berakhir dengan akibat yang mendadak dan tidak dapat dipulihkan.

Word by Word

सःhe (Drona)

सत्यजितम्Satyajit

आलोक्यhaving seen

तथाthus; in that manner

उदीर्णम्arisen; intensified; raging

महाहवेin the great battle

अर्धचन्द्रेणwith a half-moon (shaped arrow)

चिच्छेदcut off; severed

शिरःhead

तस्यof him (Satyajit)

महात्मनःof the great-souled one

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Satyajit

Droṇācārya

ardhacandra (crescent-shaped arrow/weapon)

mahāhava (great battle)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh ethical reality of battlefield dharma: valor and nobility do not guarantee safety, and a warrior’s skill can bring swift, final outcomes. It invites reflection on the tragic cost of conflict and the inevitability of consequence in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Droṇācārya, noticing Satyajit fighting with heightened ferocity in the great battle, strikes him with an ardhacandra (crescent-shaped) arrow and cuts off his head, killing him.