Shloka 456

भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः

Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed

Devanagari script

नाराचेन सुतीक्ष्णेन रुक्मपुड्खेन संयुगे | तदनन्तर सोमदत्तकुमारने युद्धस्थलमें सुवर्णमय पंखसे युक्त अत्यन्त तीखे नाराचद्वारा भीमसेनकी छातीमें प्रहार किया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | nārācena sutīkṣṇena rukmapuṅkhena saṃyuge | tadanantaraṃ somadattakumāreṇa yuddhasthale suvarṇamaya-paṅkha-yuktenātyanta-tīkṣṇa-nārācena bhīmasenasya chātiṃ prahṛtā |

Translation

三阇耶说道：随后，在鏖战之中，娑摩达多之子以一支锋利如刃的那罗遮（nārāca）箭、饰以金色羽翎的箭杆，射中毗摩塞那的胸膛。此事彰显战争无情而精确：武艺以控制与准度衡量；而暴烈的杀伐，也在仇怨愈炽之际考验着刹帝利之法（kṣatriya-dharma）的坚守。

Word by Word

• नाराचेन: with an arrow (nārāca)
• नाराचेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाराच
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सुतीक्ष्णेन: very sharp
• सुतीक्ष्णेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुतीक्ष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• रुक्मपुड्खेन: with a golden-feathered (shafted) [arrow]
• रुक्मपुड्खेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मपुड्ख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तदनन्तरम्: thereafter
• तदनन्तरम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदनन्तर

• सोमदत्तकुमारः: the son of Somadatta (Bhūriśravas)
• सोमदत्तकुमारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमदत्तकुमार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युद्धस्थले: on the battlefield
• युद्धस्थले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्धस्थल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सुवर्णमयपङ्खेन: with golden feathers
• सुवर्णमयपङ्खेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्णमयपङ्ख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• युक्तेन: furnished/attached (with)
• युक्तेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अत्यन्ततीक्ष्णेन: exceedingly sharp
• अत्यन्ततीक्ष्णेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यन्ततीक्ष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नाराचद्वारा: by means of an arrow
• नाराचद्वारा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाराच
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• भीमसेनस्य: of Bhīmasena
• भीमसेनस्य: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• छातीम्: chest
• छातीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाती
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रहारम्: a blow/strike
• प्रहारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• चकार: did/made (struck)
• चकार: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Somadatta
• Somadatta's son (Bhūriśravas)
• Bhimasena (Bhima)
• battlefield
• nārāca arrow
• golden fletching/feathers

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya world of disciplined martial skill: even amid hatred and chaos, a warrior’s duty is expressed through controlled aim and steadfast engagement. Ethically, it points to how war magnifies both prowess and the moral burden of inflicting harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Somadatta’s son (Bhūriśravas) shoots Bhima in the chest with an extremely sharp nārāca arrow fitted with golden feathering, describing a specific strike within the ongoing Kurukṣetra battle.