Shloka 563

Devanagari script

अन्यदादाय वेगेन धनुर्भल्लांश्व षोडश । प्रतापी सुबलपुत्र शकुनिने उस कटे हुए धनुषको फेंककर बड़े वेगसे दूसरा धनुष हाथमें ले लिया और उसके द्वारा सोलह भल्ल चलाये

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | anyad ādāya vegena dhanur bhallāṁś ca ṣoḍaśa | pratāpī subalaputraḥ śakunir utsṛjya chinnaṁ dhanuḥ punar anyad dhanuḥ pāṇau jagrāha, tena ca ṣoḍaśa bhallān mumoca |

Translation

سنجے نے کہا: اے راجن! باوقار سوبل کا بیٹا شکنی کٹی ہوئی کمان کو پھینک کر بڑی تیزی سے دوسری کمان ہاتھ میں لے آیا اور اس سے سولہ بھلّے (تیروں) کی بوچھاڑ کر دی۔

Word by Word

अन्यत्another (thing/weapon)

आदायhaving taken

वेगेनwith speed/force

धनुःbow

भल्लान्barbed arrows/darts (bhallas)

षोडशsixteen

प्रतापीmighty/valiant

सुबलपुत्रःson of Subala

शकुनिःShakuni

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Shakuni

Subala

bow (dhanuḥ)

bhalla-arrows (bhalla)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights relentless determination in war: a combatant does not pause for loss of equipment but immediately adapts. Ethically, it reflects the Mahabharata’s portrayal of battlefield duty and the tragic momentum of violence—skill and resolve can serve destructive ends when dharma is eclipsed by conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Shakuni’s bow has been cut. Shakuni throws away the broken bow, quickly takes another, and shoots sixteen bhalla-arrows, continuing the fight without hesitation.