Shloka 24

Devanagari script

तामापतन्तीं सहसा रुक्मदण्डां दुरासदाम्‌ | चिच्छेद समरे भीष्म: शरै: संनतपर्वभि:

Transliteration

tām āpatantīṃ sahasā rukmadaṇḍāṃ durāsadām | ciccheda samare bhīṣmaḥ śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ ||

Translation

Disse Sañjaya: Quando aquela arma formidável, de haste dourada, veio arremessada de súbito, Bhīṣma—inalcançável em combate—cortou-a em pleno confronto com flechas de juntas bem ajustadas.

Word by Word

ताम्her/that (woman/one)

आपतन्तीम्falling/charging (towards)

सहसाsuddenly, swiftly

रुक्मदण्डाम्having a golden staff/rod

दुरासदाम्hard to approach/assail

चिच्छेदcut, severed

समरेin battle

भीष्मःBhishma

शरैःwith arrows

संनतपर्वभिःhaving well-bent joints/knots (of the shaft)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma

rukmadaṇḍā (gold-shafted weapon/missile)

śara (arrows)

samara (battlefield)

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?

The verse highlights disciplined, precise force: a warrior’s excellence lies in controlled skill that neutralizes imminent harm efficiently, reflecting kṣatriya-dharma as protection and restraint rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

A formidable, golden-shafted missile/weapon suddenly rushes toward the combatants; Bhīṣma, in the thick of battle, severs it with well-made arrows, demonstrating superior archery and battlefield composure.