Shloka 303

भीमसेन–कर्णयुद्धवर्णनम्

Description of the Bhīmasena–Karṇa Engagement

Devanagari script

शल्यस्य सशरं चापं मुष्टिदेशे व्यकृन्तत । कर्णको बारह और वृषसेनको तीन बाणोंसे घायल करके राजा शल्यके बाणसहित धनुषको मुद्दी पकड़नेकी जगहसे पुनः काट डाला

Transliteration

śalyasya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ muṣṭideśe vyakṛntata |

Translation

शल्यस्य सशरं चापं मुष्टिदेशे व्यकृन्तत्।

Word by Word

• शल्यस्य: of Śalya
• शल्यस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सशरम्: together with arrows (arrow-equipped)
• सशरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सशर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मुष्टिदेशे: at the grip/handle-part (where the fist holds)
• मुष्टिदेशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टि-देश
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• व्यकृन्तत: cut asunder
• व्यकृन्तत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृत् (कृन्तति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• bow (cāpa)
• arrow (śara)
• grip/handhold (muṣṭideśa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid violent conflict, the narrative highlights a strategic ethic: neutralizing an enemy’s capacity to harm (by disarming) can be as decisive as inflicting injury, reflecting disciplined martial skill within kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior severs King Śalya’s bow at the handhold, cutting it along with the arrow, thereby disabling Śalya’s immediate ability to shoot.