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Shloka 7

Karṇa’s Camp-Council Discourse: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament, Sañjaya’s Counsel, and Karṇa’s Request for Śalya

Book 8, Chapter 22

समार्गणगुणं चापं छित्त्वा तस्यप महानसि: । निपपात ततो भूमौ च्युत: सर्प इवाम्बरात्‌,उनकी वह लंबी तलवार दुःशासनके धनुष, बाण और प्रत्यंचाकों काटकर आकाशसे भ्रष्ट हुए सर्पकी भाँति वहाँ पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ी

samārgaṇaguṇaṃ cāpaṃ chittvā tasya mahān asiḥ | nipapāta tato bhūmau cyutaḥ sarpa ivāmbarāt ||

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: “Ang makapangyarihang tabak na iyon, matapos putulin ang kanyang busog na mahigpit ang pagkakabigkis—kasama ang mga kabit nito—ay bumagsak sa lupa, na wari’y ahas na nalaglag mula sa langit.”

समार्गणगुणम्the bow-string (lit. battle-string)
समार्गणगुणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसमार्गणगुण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
आपम्bow
आपम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआप
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
छित्त्वाhaving cut
छित्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootछिद्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)
तस्यof him/that
तस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
अपaway, off
अप:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअप
महानसिःthe long sword
महानसिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहानसि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
निपपातfell down
निपपात:
TypeVerb
Rootपत्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
ततःthen, from there
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
भूमौon the ground
भूमौ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभूमि
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
च्युतःfallen down, slipped
च्युतः:
TypeAdjective
Rootच्युत
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
सर्पःa serpent
सर्पः:
TypeNoun
Rootसर्प
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इवlike, as if
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
अम्बरात्from the sky
अम्बरात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootअम्बर
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
B
bow (cāpa)
B
bowstring (guṇa)
S
sword (asi)
S
serpent (sarpa)
E
earth/ground (bhūmi)
S
sky (ambara)

Educational Q&A

In the ethics of kṣatriya warfare, victory is often achieved by neutralizing the opponent’s capacity to fight; the verse highlights decisive skill—disarming rather than merely striking—showing controlled, purposeful force within the battlefield code.

Sañjaya describes a combat moment where a mighty sword severs an opponent’s well-strung bow (and its fittings). The sword then drops to the ground, compared poetically to a serpent falling from the sky.