Shloka 11

अर्जुनस्य लक्ष्यवेधः

Arjuna’s Hitting of the Target at the Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

इच्छन्नपचितिं कर्तु भूगूणां भूगुनन्दन: । सर्वलोकविनाशाय तपसा महतैधित:,भगुकुलको आनन्दित करनेवाले उस कुमारने (क्षत्रियोंद्वारा मारे गये) अपने भृगुवंशी पूर्वजोंका सम्मान करने (अथवा उनके वधका बदला लेने)-के लिये सब लोकोंके विनाशका निश्चय किया और बहुत बड़ी तपस्याद्वारा अपनी शक्तिको बढ़ाया

Transliteration

icchann apacitiṁ kartuṁ bhṛgūṇāṁ bhṛgunandanaḥ | sarvalokavināśāya tapasā mahataidhitaḥ ||

Translation

قال فاسيشثا: إذ رغب في أداء ما يجب من التكريم والجزاء لآل بهريغو، عزم أوروَفا—بهجة سلالة بهريغو—على تدمير العوالم كلها؛ وبزهدٍ شديدٍ عظيمٍ زاد قوته زيادةً بالغة.

Word by Word

इच्छन्wishing, desiring

अपचितिम्reverence, honoring (repayment of respect)

कर्तुम्to do, to perform

भृगूणाम्of the Bhṛgus

भृगुनन्दनःthe delight/son of Bhṛgu (Bhārgava)

सर्वलोकविनाशायfor the destruction of all worlds

तपसाby austerity

महतāgreat, mighty

एधितःgrown, increased, strengthened

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वसिष्ठ (Vasiṣṭha)

भ

भृगु (Bhṛgu)

भ

भृगवः/भृगूणाम् (the Bhṛgu lineage)

भ

भृगुनन्दन (Bhṛgunandana—Paraśurāma)

स

सर्वलोक (all worlds/peoples)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that even a motive framed as honoring ancestors (apaciti) can become ethically dangerous when it turns into totalizing revenge. Tapas amplifies intention; when the intention is destructive, spiritual power risks becoming a force against dharma and the welfare of the world.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha describes the Bhṛgu-descended hero (Paraśurāma) undertaking severe austerities to increase his power, driven by a desire to repay the Bhṛgus—interpreted as honoring slain ancestors and/or avenging their killing—leading him toward a vow of widespread destruction.