Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 15

भीष्मस्योत्तरायणप्रतीक्षा तथा युधिष्ठिरागमनम् | Bhīṣma’s uttarāyaṇa moment and Yudhiṣṭhira’s arrival

Devanagari script

शार््डचक्रायुध: खड्गी सर्वनागरिपुध्वज: । उत्तमेन स शीलेन दमेन च शमेन च

Transliteration

śārṅgacakrāyudhaḥ khaḍgī sarvanāgaripudhvajāḥ | uttamena sa śīlena damena ca śamena ca ||

Translation

قال الإيشڤارا: «إنه يحمل قوس شارنغا (Śārṅga) وقرص سودرشانا (Sudarśana) سلاحًا له، وهو كذلك بارعٌ في السيف. وعلى رايته يلمع شعار غارودا (Garuḍa)، عدوّ جميع الحيّات. وهو موفورٌ بأسمى الخُلُق، وبضبط النفس (dama) وسكينة الباطن (śama)، متحلٍّ بالفضائل النبيلة، ولا يفارقه سلاحٌ إلهيٌّ عجيب.»

Word by Word

• शार्ङ्गचक्रायुधः: he whose weapons are the Śārṅga (bow) and the discus
• शार्ङ्गचक्रायुधः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शार्ङ्ग-चक्र-आयुध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• खड्गी: sword-bearing
• खड्गी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खड्गिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वनागरिपुध्वजः: he whose banner bears Garuḍa, the enemy of all serpents
• सर्वनागरिपुध्वजः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-नाग-अरि-पुध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उत्तमेन: by/with excellent
• उत्तमेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

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

• शीलेन: with good conduct/character
• शीलेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• दमेन: with self-control (restraint)
• दमेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• शमेन: with tranquility/inner calm
• शमेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

Speaker

ईश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Śārṅga (bow)
• Sudarśana (cakra/discus)
• khaḍga (sword)
• Garuḍa (banner emblem)
• Nāgas (serpents)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True divine power is inseparable from virtue: the passage pairs martial insignia (bow, discus, sword, banner) with ethical excellences—śīla (good conduct), dama (sense-restraint), and śama (mental tranquility)—implying that rightful authority is grounded in inner discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Īśvara describes a supreme divine figure through recognizable emblems (Śārṅga, Sudarśana, Garuḍa-banner) and through moral qualities, presenting both iconographic identifiers and the ethical profile that legitimizes his sovereignty.