Shloka 456

Devanagari script

गाड़ेयं पञ्चविंशत्या क्षुद्रकाणां समार्पयत्‌ । तदनन्तर अर्जुनने हँसकर गाण्डीव धनुषकी टंकार करते हुए गंगानन्दन भीष्मको पचीस बाण मारे

Transliteration

gāḍeyaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā kṣudrakāṇāṃ samārpayat | tadanantaraṃ arjunena haṃsakaṛ gāṇḍīva-dhanuṣas ṭaṅkāraṃ kurvatā gaṅgānandanaṃ bhīṣmaṃ pañcaviṃśati-bāṇaiḥ āhataḥ |

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Pagkaraan nito, si Arjuna, na nakangiti at pinapatunog ang twang ng busog na Gāṇḍīva, ay tumama kay Bhīṣma—anak ng Ilog Gaṅgā—ng dalawampu’t limang palaso. Ipinakikita ng tagpong ito ang mabagsik na disiplina ng digmaan: kahit ang pinakaginagalang na nakatatanda ay hinaharap ng lakas kapag ang tungkulin at katapatan ay naglalagay sa kanya sa panig ng kalaban.

Word by Word

• गाण्डीवेन: with (the bow) Gāṇḍīva
• गाण्डीवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाण्डीव
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पञ्चविंशत्या: with twenty-five (as a number); by a set of twenty-five
• पञ्चविंशत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चविंशति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• क्षुद्रकाणाम्: of small (arrows/shafts) (i.e., small arrows)
• क्षुद्रकाणाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुद्रक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• समार्पयत्: he delivered/shot/assigned (onto)
• समार्पयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√र्प (अर्प्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Arjuna
• Bhishma
• Ganga
• Gandiva (bow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the tension between reverence and duty: even an honored elder like Bhishma must be opposed in battle when one’s dharma and chosen allegiance demand it. Ethical action here is framed as disciplined adherence to role-based duty amid tragic conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Arjuna, smiling and sounding the Gandiva’s bowstring, shoots Bhishma—called the son of Ganga—with twenty-five arrows, marking a forceful exchange in the Kurukshetra war.