Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 27

Pradyumna–Śālva Missile-Exchange at Saubha (Āraṇyaka Parva, Adhyāya 18)

उपयान्तं दुराधर्ष शडुखचक्रगदाधरम्‌ । पुरुष पुण्डरीकाक्ष॑ कि वक्ष्यामि महाभुजम्‌,“शंख, चक्र और गदा धारण करनेवाले कमलनयन महाबाहु एवं अजेय वीर भगवान्‌ पुरुषोत्तम जब यहाँ मेरे निकट पदार्पण करेंगे, उस समय मैं उन्हें क्या उत्तर दूँगा?

upayāntaṃ durādharṣa-śaṅkha-cakra-gadādharam | puruṣaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ kiṃ vakṣyāmi mahābhujam ||

قال فايُو: «حين يقترب مني هنا ذلك الربُّ الذي لا يُقهر—حاملُ الصَّدَفةِ والدِّيسكِ والمِقْمَعَة، الشخصُ الأعلى ذو العينين كزهرةِ اللوتس والذراعين العظيمتين—فبأي جوابٍ أستطيع أن أجيبه؟»

उपयान्तम्approaching
उपयान्तम्:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootउप-या (धातु)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular, शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
दुराधर्षम्hard to assail, invincible
दुराधर्षम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootदुराधर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम्bearing conch, discus, and mace
शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootशङ्ख-चक्र-गदा-धर (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
पुरुषम्the Person (Lord)
पुरुषम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
पुण्डरीकाक्षम्lotus-eyed
पुण्डरीकाक्षम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपुण्डरीकाक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
किम्what?
किम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिम् (प्रातिपदिक)
वक्ष्यामिshall I say
वक्ष्यामि:
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
FormSimple Future (लृट्), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada
महाभुजम्mighty-armed
महाभुजम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाभुज (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular

वायुदेव उवाच

V
Vāyudeva (Vāyu)
P
Puruṣottama (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa)
Ś
Śaṅkha (conch)
C
Cakra (discus)
G
Gadā (mace)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights humility before divine authority: even a powerful deity like Vāyu expresses awe and moral hesitation about what is fitting to say when the Supreme Lord approaches, underscoring reverence, self-restraint, and awareness of dharma in speech.

Vāyu anticipates the imminent arrival of Puruṣottama (identified by the emblems conch, discus, and mace) and, overwhelmed by the Lord’s invincibility and majesty, wonders what response he can possibly offer when the Lord comes near.