Mahabharata 6.116.41 — Bhishma Parva, Adhyaya 116, Shloka 41

भीष्मस्य जलप्रार्थना — अर्जुनस्य पर्जन्यास्त्रप्रयोगः — दुर्योधनं प्रति सन्ध्युपदेशः

Bhīṣma’s request for water; Arjuna’s Parjanya-astra; counsel to Duryodhana on reconciliation

Devanagari script

तोमरं च द्विधा चक्रे क्षुरप्रेणानिलात्मज: । पट्टिशं च त्रिभि्णिश्विच्छेद तिलकाण्डवत्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tomaraṃ ca dvidhā cakre kṣurapreṇānilātmajaḥ | paṭṭiśaṃ ca tribhir iṣubhiś ciccheda tilakāṇḍavat ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ବାୟୁପୁତ୍ର ଭୀମସେନ କ୍ଷୁରପ୍ର ଶରରେ ତୋମରକୁ ଦୁଇ ଖଣ୍ଡ କଲେ। ପୁଣି ତିନିଟି ବାଣରେ ପଟ୍ଟିଶକୁ ତିଳକ ଗଛର ଡାଣ୍ଡ ପରି କାଟି ଟୁକୁଡ଼ା-ଟୁକୁଡ଼ା କରିଦେଲେ॥

Word by Word

• तोमरम्: javelin/spear
• तोमरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोमर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• द्विधा: into two (parts), in two ways
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा

• चक्रे: made, cut (made into)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्षुरप्रेण: with a razor-edged arrow
• क्षुरप्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुरप्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अनिलात्मजः: the son of the Wind (Bhima)
• अनिलात्मजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिल-आत्मज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पट्टिशम्: a battle-axe/hatchet (weapon)
• पट्टिशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पट्टिश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (agreeing with बाणैः understood), Instrumental, Plural

• निशितैः: sharp, whetted
• निशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: Masculine (agreeing with बाणैः understood), Instrumental, Plural

• अच्छेदत्: cut, severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तिलकाण्डवत्: like a sesame-stalk
• Type: Indeclinable (comparative suffix -वत् used adverbially)
• Root: तिल-काण्ड-वत्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Anila/Vāyu (Wind-god)
• Bhīmasena (Vāyuputra)
• tomara (spear/javelin)
• kṣurapra (razor-headed arrow)
• paṭṭiśa (battle-axe)
• tilaka (plant/stalk simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid violent conflict, the text highlights disciplined prowess: a warrior’s duty is carried out through steadiness, precision, and mastery over impulse—strength guided by control rather than mere fury.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma counters incoming weapons by expertly severing them mid-flight: he splits a tomara with a razor-headed arrow and then chops a paṭṭiśa into fragments with three arrows, likened to cutting a thin plant-stalk.