Shloka 14

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 42 — Duryodhana’s counsel to Bhīṣma on ajñātavāsa risk and raid strategy

Devanagari script

कस्य पाउ्चनखे कोशे सायको हेमविग्रह:

Transliteration

kasya pāñcanakhe kośe sāyako hemavigrahaḥ

Translation

উত্তর বলল—পাঁচ নখে অলংকৃত তূণে রাখা এই স্বর্ণময় তীরটি কার?

Word by Word

• कस्य: of whom/whose
• कस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• पाञ्चनखे: in (the one) having five nails/claws
• पाञ्चनखे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाञ्चनख
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कोशे: in the sheath/quiver/case
• कोशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सायकः: the arrow
• सायकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हेमविग्रहः: having a golden form/body
• हेमविग्रहः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम-विग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

उत्तर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Uttara
• arrow (sāyaka)
• quiver/case (kośa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights discernment and respectful inquiry in a martial context: before acting, one seeks to know the ownership and significance of powerful weapons, implying responsibility and propriety in the use of force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttara, observing a distinctive, richly made arrow stored in an ornamented quiver, asks whose weapon it is—signaling the moment of recognizing extraordinary arms as the characters prepare for impending conflict.