Shloka 273

नारायणास्त्र-शमनं द्रौणि-प्रहारश्च

Pacification of the Nārāyaṇāstra and Drauni’s Renewed Assault

Devanagari script

अर्धचन्द्रेण चिच्छेद सज्यं सविशिखं तदा । महाराज! शिखण्डीने उस समय अर्धचन्द्राकार बाण मारकर प्रत्यंचा और बाणसहित कृपाचार्यके विशाल धनुषको काट दिया

Transliteration

ardhacandreṇa ciccheda sajyaṃ saviśikhaṃ tadā | mahārāja! śikhaṇḍīne us samaya ardhacandrākāra bāṇa mārakara pratyañcā aura bāṇasahita kṛpācāryake viśāla dhanuṣako kāṭa diyā

Translation

三阇耶曰：“大王啊！其时尸佉ṇḍin以半月刃箭，一举斩断克利帕阿阇梨之巨弓——弓已上弦，且连同所搭之箭一并截落——遂于战阵之中遏止其攻势。此事昭示：战争之中，精于兵器者不唯求伤其身，亦能断其器、夺其能，以废其害；以无能制暴，乃战术之义也。”

Word by Word

• अर्धचन्द्रेण: with a half-moon (crescent-shaped arrow)
• अर्धचन्द्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्धचन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• चिच्छेद: cut / severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• सविशिखम्: together with the arrow(s)
• सविशिखम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-विशिख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then / at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Kṛpācārya (Kṛpa)
• ardhacandra (crescent-headed arrow)
• bow (dhanuṣ)
• bowstring (pratyañcā)
• arrow (viśikha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid warfare, a warrior’s skill can be directed toward limiting harm by disabling an opponent’s weapon. The focus on cutting the bow (the means of violence) highlights tactical restraint and the battlefield ethic of neutralizing capability rather than pursuing needless slaughter.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Śikhaṇḍin shoots a crescent-headed arrow and severs Kṛpācārya’s large bow while it is strung and paired with an arrow, effectively disarming him in that exchange.