Shloka 24

भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्

Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

अर्जुनं सप्तसप्तत्या नाराचानां समाचिनोत्‌ | द्रोणश्न॒ पञजचविंशत्या कृप: पजचाशता शरै:

Transliteration

arjunaṁ saptasaptatyā nārācānāṁ samācinot | droṇaś ca pañcaviṁśatyā kṛpaḥ pañcāśatā śaraiḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Bhīṣma đánh trúng Arjuna bằng bảy mươi bảy mũi tên sắt; Droṇa bằng hai mươi lăm; và Kṛpa bằng năm mươi mũi tên.

Word by Word

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna (as object)
• अर्जुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सप्तसप्तत्या: with seventy-seven
• सप्तसप्तत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तसप्तति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• नाराचानाम्: of iron arrows (nārācas)
• नाराचानाम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाराच
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• समाचिनोत्: he covered/filled (him) with
• समाचिनोत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चि
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• द्रोणः: Droṇa
• द्रोणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चविंशत्या: with twenty-five
• पञ्चविंशत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चविंशति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• कृपः: Kṛpa
• कृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चाशता: with fifty
• पञ्चाशता: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चाशत्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Droṇa
• Kṛpa
• nārāca (iron arrows)
• śara (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of dharma in wartime: duty is carried out amid suffering, and even the greatest are subject to injury. It invites reflection on the ethical weight of martial duty and the endurance demanded of those who fight.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a specific exchange of missile-fire: a warrior showers Arjuna with seventy-seven iron arrows, then strikes Droṇa with twenty-five and Kṛpa with fifty, emphasizing the intensity and precision of the ongoing battle.