Shloka 20

Devanagari script

किमु मानुषमात्रेण शक्‍्य: स्यात्‌ प्रतिवीक्षितुम्‌ | दृढ्मुष्टि: कृती नित्यमस्यमानो दिवानिशम्‌,फिर कोई मनुष्यमात्र तो उसकी ओर देख ही कैसे सकता था? उसकी मुट्ठी मजबूत थी। वह अस्त्र-विद्याका विद्वानू था और सदा दिन-रात बाण चलानेका अभ्यास करता था

Transliteration

kimu mānuṣamātreṇa śakyaḥ syāt prativīkṣitum | dṛḍhamuṣṭiḥ kṛtī nityam asyamāno divāniśam |

Translation

وكيف لإنسانٍ مجرّد أن يقدر حتى على أن يحدّ النظر إليه؟ كانت قبضتُه صلبة، ومهارتُه بالغة؛ وكان ليلَ نهارَ لا يفتر عن التدرّب على إطلاق السهام.

Word by Word

किम्how/what then

उindeed/then (emphatic particle)

मानुष-मात्रेणby a mere human

शक्यःpossible/able (to be done)

स्यात्would be

प्रतिवीक्षितुम्to look at/observe (in return, directly)

दृढ-मुष्टिःone with a firm fist

कृतीskilled/competent

नित्यम्always

अस्यमानःshooting (arrows)

दिवा-निशम्day and night

Speaker

श्रीवायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva (speaker)

arrows (bāṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how extraordinary power is not accidental: relentless practice and disciplined skill can create a presence so formidable that ordinary people cannot even face it. Ethically, it underscores the responsibility that comes with cultivated strength, especially in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva describes a warrior’s overwhelming prowess—firm grip, consummate competence, and constant archery practice—explaining why a mere human would find it impossible even to look at him directly on the battlefield.