Shloka 16

Adhyāya 55: Pārtha–Rādheya Saṃvāda and Tactical Exchange

Chapter 55

Devanagari script

दैवारिपाच्च बीभत्सुस्तस्मिन्‌ दौर्योधने वने । भयमुत्पादयामास बलवानरिमर्दन:,तदनन्तर शत्रुओंका मान मर्दन करनेवाले बलवान्‌ अर्जुनने अपने सम्पूर्ण अस्त्र- शस्त्रोंक तेजसे, धनुषकी टंकारसे, ध्वजामें निवास करनेवाले मानवेतर भूतोंके भयंकर कोलाहलसे, अत्यन्त भैरव गर्जना करनेवाले वानरके प्रभावसे तथा भीषण नाद फैलानेवाले शंखसे भी दुर्योधनकी उस सेनामें भारी भय उत्पन्न कर दिया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | daivāripāc ca bībhatsus tasmin dauryodhane vane | bhayam utpādayāmāsa balavān arimardanaḥ ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: بلفتةٍ من القدر، إنّ أرجونا الجبّار—المهيب منظرًا وساحق الأعداء—حين كان دُريودَهَنَة في الغابة، أثار الخوف فيه وفي جنده. فبوهج سلاحه المتّقد، وبرعد وتر قوسه، وبالضجيج المرعب للكائنات غير البشرية القاطنة في رايته، وبسطوة شعار القرد الزائر، وبهدير صَدَفة الحرب (الشَّنْخَة)، حطّم كبرياء الخصم وبثّ الذعر في جيش دُريودَهَنَة.

Word by Word

दैवात्from fate; by chance

अरिपात्from the enemy's side/party

चand

बीभत्सुःBībhatsu (Arjuna)

तस्मिन्in that

दौर्योधनेin/with Duryodhana (i.e., regarding Duryodhana)

वनेin the forest

भयम्fear

उत्पादयामासproduced; caused to arise

बलवान्mighty

अरिमर्दनःcrusher of enemies

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna (Bībhatsu)

Duryodhana

forest (vana)

bow (implied by bowstring twang)

weapons (astra-śastra, implied by context)

banner/standard (dhvaja, implied by context)

non-human beings on the banner (mānavetara bhūta, implied by context)

monkey emblem (vānaradhvaja/kapidhvaja, implied by context)

conch (śaṅkha, implied by context)

Duryodhana's army (senā, implied by context)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how daiva (fate) and personal prowess together shape outcomes: righteous strength, disciplined mastery of arms, and commanding symbols can break an aggressor’s arrogance without needless cruelty—showing that fear and pride are moral-psychological battlegrounds in dharmic conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the forest encounter, Arjuna (Bībhatsu) reveals overwhelming martial presence—through the brilliance of his weapons, the bow’s thunder, the terrifying sounds associated with his banner and monkey emblem, and the conch’s roar—thereby spreading fear through Duryodhana and his forces.