Shloka 29

Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

छिन्ने धनुषि पार्थेन सो5न्यदादाय कार्मुकम्‌ | चकार गौतम: सज्यं तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्‌,अर्जुनद्वारा धनुष काट दिये जानेपर गौतम (कृप) ने दूसरा धनुष लेकर उसपर प्रत्यंचा चढ़ा ली। यह एक अदभुत-सी बात हुई

Transliteration

chinne dhanuṣi pārthena so 'nyad ādāya kārmukam | cakāra gautamaḥ sajyaṃ tad adbhutam ivābhavat ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Khi Pārtha (Arjuna) đã chém đứt cung của Kṛpa, Gautama (Kṛpa) lập tức cầm lấy một cây cung khác và giương dây. Sự mau lẹ và điềm tĩnh mà ông phục hồi ngay giữa cuộc giao tranh dường như kỳ diệu—cho thấy kỷ luật của một chiến binh lão luyện, không hề mất vững vàng dù vũ khí bị phá hỏng.

Word by Word

• छिन्ने: when (it was) cut
• छिन्ने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न (√छिद्)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• धनुषि: in the bow
• धनुषि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पार्थेन: by Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अन्यत्: another (one)
• अन्यत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√दा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• कार्मुकम्: bow
• कार्मुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चकार: made
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गौतमः: Gautama (Kripa)
• गौतमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सज्यम्: strung (with a bowstring)
• सज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सज्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अभवत्: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Gautama (Kṛpa)
• dhanuṣ (bow)
• kārmuka (bow)
• pratyañcā (bowstring, implied by sajyam)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights warrior-discipline: even when one’s weapon is destroyed, a trained fighter maintains steadiness, adapts instantly, and continues without losing self-control—an aspect of kṣatriya-dharma and mental resilience.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna (Pārtha) cuts Kṛpa’s bow. Kṛpa (called Gautama) immediately takes another bow and strings it, and this swift recovery is described as astonishing.