Shloka 336

Devanagari script

दश्ने नीलविनाशाय मतिं मतिमतां वर: । तदनन्तर बुद्धिमानोंमें श्रेष्ठ अश्वत्थामाने इन्द्रके वज़्की भाँति भयंकर टंकार करनेवाले अपने विचित्र धनुषको खींचकर नीलको मार डालनेका विचार किया

Transliteration

daśne nīlavināśāya matiṁ matimatāṁ varaḥ | tadanantaraṁ buddhimānāṁ śreṣṭha aśvatthāmā indrasya vajravat bhayaṅkaraṁ ṭaṅkāraṁ kurvat svam vicitra-dhanuḥ ākarṣya nīlaṁ hantum iti matiṁ cakāra |

Translation

তাৰ পিছত বুদ্ধিমানসকলৰ মাজত শ্ৰেষ্ঠ অশ্বত্থামাই নীলৰ বিনাশৰ সংকল্প কৰিলে। ইন্দ্ৰৰ বজ্ৰৰ দৰে ভয়ংকৰ টংকাৰ তুলা নিজৰ বিচিত্ৰ ধনু টানি তেওঁ নীলক বধ কৰাৰ উদ্দেশ্য স্থিৰ কৰিলে।

Word by Word

• दश्ने: in/at the tooth (lit.); (context unclear)
• दश्ने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश्न (दशन)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• नील-विनाशाय: for the destruction of Nīla
• नील-विनाशाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील + विनाश
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• मतिम्: intention, resolve
• मतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मति-मताम्: of the intelligent (ones)
• मति-मताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मतिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: the best, the foremost
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Ashvatthama
• Nila
• Indra
• Vajra (Indra’s thunderbolt)
• Vicitra-dhanus (wondrous bow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral weight of intention in warfare: a warrior’s skill and resolve can be turned toward destruction, and the narrative invites reflection on how deliberate resolve (mati/saṅkalpa) shapes ethical responsibility even amid battlefield duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Ashvatthama drawing his remarkable bow with a thunderous twang and deciding to slay the warrior Nila, signaling an imminent lethal engagement within the Kurukshetra battle.