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Shloka 466

भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्

Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash

शीर्यमाणान्यदृश्यन्त भिन्नान्यर्जुनसायकै: । भीष्मके धनुषसे छूटे हुए सायकोंके समूह अर्जुनके बाणोंसे छिन्न-भिन्न होकर इधर- उधर बिखरे दिखायी देने लगे

sañjaya uvāca | śīryamāṇāny adṛśyanta bhinnāny arjunasāyakaiḥ |

शीर्यमाणान्यदृश्यन्त भिन्नान्यर्जुनसायकैः । भीष्मधनुषो मुक्ताः सायकसमूहा अर्जुनशरैश्छिन्नभिन्ना इतोऽन्यतो विकीर्णा दृश्यन्ते स्म ।

शीर्यमाणानिbreaking, crumbling
शीर्यमाणानि:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशीर्यमाण (√शॄ/शॄण् 'to break, crumble' passive present participle)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
अदृश्यन्तwere seen, appeared
अदृश्यन्त:
TypeVerb
Root√दृश्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada
भिन्नानिsplit, shattered
भिन्नानि:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootभिन्न (√भिद् 'to split' past passive participle)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
अर्जुनof Arjuna
अर्जुन:
TypeNoun
Rootअर्जुन
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
सायकैःby arrows
सायकैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसायक
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sanjaya
A
Arjuna
B
Bhishma
A
arrows (sāyaka)
B
bow (dhanus)

Educational Q&A

Even amid violence, the epic highlights disciplined action aligned with one’s role (kṣatriya-dharma): Arjuna’s precision symbolizes controlled power used in service of duty rather than uncontrolled aggression.

Sanjaya describes a battlefield moment where the arrows shot from Bhishma’s bow are intercepted and cut apart by Arjuna’s arrows, visibly scattering as fragments—showing Arjuna’s superior timing and marksmanship in that exchange.