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Shloka 54

धृष्टद्युम्नस्य द्रोणाभिमुख्यं तथा सात्यकि-कर्ण-समागमः

Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s advance toward Droṇa and the Sātyaki–Karṇa confrontation

प्रायोपविष्टाय रणे पार्थेन छिन्नबाहवे । सात्यकि: कौरवेयाय खड्गेनापाहरच्छिर:,रणभूमिमें अर्जुनने जिनकी भुजा काट डाली थी तथा जो आमरण उपवासका व्रत लेकर बैठे थे, उन भूरिश्रवापर सात्यकिने खड़्गका प्रहार किया और उनका सिर काट लिया

sañjaya uvāca | prāyopaviṣṭāya raṇe pārthena chinnabāhave | sātyakiḥ kauraveyāya khaḍgenāpāharacchiraḥ |

सञ्जय उवाच— पार्थेन रणमध्ये छिन्नबाहवे, प्रायोपविष्टाय भूरिश्रवसे, सात्यकिः खड्गेन प्रहृत्य शिरोऽपाहरत्। स मृत्युव्रते स्थितं शत्रुं निहत्य रणधर्मस्य सीमां लङ्घयामास।

प्रायोपविष्टायto (him) seated for fasting unto death
प्रायोपविष्टाय:
Sampradana
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रायोपविष्ट (प्राय + उपविष्ट)
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
रणेin battle
रणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरण
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
पार्थेनby Arjuna (son of Pritha)
पार्थेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootपार्थ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
छिन्नबाहवेto (him) whose arms were cut off
छिन्नबाहवे:
Sampradana
TypeAdjective
Rootछिन्नबाहु (छिन्न + बाहु)
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
सात्यकिःSatyaki
सात्यकिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसात्यकि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कौरवेयायto the Kuru-descended one (Bhūrishravas)
कौरवेयाय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootकौरवेय
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
खड्गेनwith a sword
खड्गेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootखड्ग
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
अपाहरत्struck off / cut off / removed
अपाहरत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअप + हृ
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
शिरःhead
शिरः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशिरस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular

संजय उवाच

संजय (Sañjaya)
पार्थ / अर्जुन (Pārtha/Arjuna)
सात्यकि / युयुधान (Sātyaki/Yuyudhāna)
भूरिश्रवस् (Bhūriśravas)
खड्ग (sword)
रणभूमि (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how dharma becomes difficult to uphold amid rage and retaliation in war. Even when an opponent has withdrawn into a death-vow (prāyopaveśa), violence may still be inflicted, prompting reflection on the boundaries of righteous combat and the moral cost of vengeance.

After Arjuna severs Bhūriśravas’s arm, Bhūriśravas sits on the battlefield undertaking a fast unto death. At that moment Sātyaki attacks him with a sword and cuts off his head.