Shloka 37

धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — दुर्योधनस्य ह्रदप्रवेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Duryodhana’s Entry into the Lake

Devanagari script

छिन्ने धनुषि राजेन्द्र शकुनि: सौबलस्तदा

Transliteration

chinne dhanuṣi rājendra śakuniḥ saubalastadā

Translation

三阇耶说道：“大王啊，当弓已被斩断之时，苏婆罗之子沙昆尼就在那一刻……”

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

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शकुनिः: Shakuni
• शकुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सौबलः: the son of Subala
• सौबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by rājendra)
• Śakuni
• Subala
• bow (dhanuṣ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how swiftly circumstances shift in war: when a warrior’s weapon is disabled, the next action must be guided by alertness and strategy. Ethically, it underscores the fragility of reliance on external power and the need for steadiness amid sudden reversals.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a bow has been cut, and at that moment Śakuni (Subala’s son) is about to act or respond—this line functions as a transition into the next event involving Śakuni after the bow is severed.