Shloka 41

Devanagari script

पुनश्चास्य धनुश्चित्रं गजराजकरोपमम्‌ । क्षुरेण शितधारेण प्रचकर्त नराधिप:,तत्पश्चात्‌ राजा दुर्योधनने तीखी धारवाले क्षुरसे भीमसेनके विचित्र धनुषको भी, जो हाथीकी सूँड़के समान था, काट डाला

Transliteration

punaścāsya dhanuś citraṃ gajarāja-karopamam | kṣureṇa śitadhāreṇa pracakarta narādhipaḥ ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—پھر نرادھپ دُریودھن نے تیز دھار استرے جیسے ہتھیار سے بھیم سین کے اس عجیب کمان کو، جو ہاتھی راجا کی سونڈ کے مانند تھا، کاٹ ڈالا۔

Word by Word

पुनःagain

चand

अस्यof him / his

धनुःbow

चित्रम्wonderful/variegated

गजराजकरोपमम्like the trunk/hand of the king of elephants

क्षुरेणwith a razor (arrow/weapon called kṣura)

शितधारेणwith sharp-edged (one)

प्रचकर्तhe cut off / he severed

नराधिपःthe king (lord of men)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Duryodhana

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

bow (dhanuḥ)

razor/razor-like weapon (kṣura)

elephant-trunk comparison (gajarāja-karopama)

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 a battlefield ethic where victory is pursued by neutralizing the opponent’s capacity to fight (here, cutting the bow). It reflects the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: skill and resolve are praised, yet the means are uncompromising, reminding the listener that war rapidly erodes gentler moral considerations.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the ongoing duel, Duryodhana uses a sharp, razor-like weapon to sever Bhīma’s ornate bow, likened to an elephant’s trunk. The action is a tactical move to disarm and pressure Bhīma by destroying his primary weapon.