Shloka 54

Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness

Nivātakavaca engagement

Devanagari script

तदप्रतिहतं दिव्यं सर्वास्त्रप्रतिषिधनम्‌

Transliteration

tad apratihataṃ divyaṃ sarvāstra-pratiṣidhanam

Translation

قال أرجونا: «إنه سلاحٌ لا يُقاوَم، إلهيٌّ، وله القدرة على كبح كل سلاحٍ آخر وإبطاله».

Word by Word

• तत्: that (it)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• अप्रतिहतम्: unobstructed, irresistible
• अप्रतिहतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रतिहत
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• दिव्यम्: divine, celestial
• दिव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• सर्वास्त्रप्रतिषिधनम्: that which wards off/blocks all weapons
• सर्वास्त्रप्रतिषिधनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वास्त्र-प्रतिषिधन
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• divine weapon (astra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a martial context, the highest power is framed not merely as destructive force but as mastery that can restrain and neutralize violence—suggesting that true strength includes the capacity to check harm and uphold dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna identifies a particular celestial weapon as unstoppable and divinely empowered, emphasizing its special function: it can counteract all other astras, marking it as a decisive safeguard in the unfolding conflict.