Shloka 19

Chapter 40: Śiva in Kirāta Disguise Tests Arjuna

Mūka-vadha and the Contest

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच तच्छुत्वा त्वरित: पार्थ: शुचिर्भूत्वा समाहित: । उपसंगम्य विश्वेशमधीष्वेत्यथ सो<ब्रवीत्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! यह सुनकर कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुन तुरंत ही पवित्र एवं एकाग्रचित्त हो शिष्यभावसे भगवान्‌ विश्वेश्वरकी शरण गये और बोले--“भगवन्‌! मुझे इस पाशुपतास्त्रका उपदेश कीजिये'

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | tac chrutvā tvaritaḥ pārthaḥ śucir bhūtvā samāhitaḥ | upasaṅgamya viśveśam adhīṣvety atha so 'bravīt |

Translation

قال فايشامبايانا: لما سمع بارثا (أرجونا) ذلك أسرع من ساعته. وبعد أن تطهّر وثبّت ذهنه، دنا من فيشفِيشا (شيفا) بروح التلميذ وقال: «يا رب، علّمني سلاح الباشوباتا.»

Word by Word

• {'tac chrutvā': 'having heard that', 'tvaritaḥ': 'hastened

• quickly', 'pārthaḥ': 'son of Pṛthā

• Arjuna', 'śuciḥ bhūtvā': 'having become pure

• after purification', 'samāhitaḥ': 'collected, composed, concentrated in mind', 'upasaṅgamya': 'approaching

• going near respectfully', 'viśveśam': 'Viśveśa, ‘Lord of the universe’

• epithet of Śiva', 'adhīṣva': 'teach/instruct (me)

• imperative', 'atha': 'then

• thereafter', 'saḥ abravīt': 'he said/spoke', 'pāśupatāstra': 'the Pāśupata weapon

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Arjuna (Pārtha, Kuntīputra)
• Śiva (Viśveśa/Viśveśvara)
• Pāśupatāstra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power—especially destructive power like an astra—must be sought through purity, mental discipline, and humble discipleship. The verse frames divine knowledge as something received through reverent approach and ethical readiness, not mere ambition.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing about the Pāśupata weapon, Arjuna immediately prepares himself by becoming ritually and inwardly pure, concentrates his mind, approaches Śiva as a disciple, and requests instruction in that supreme weapon.