Shloka 20

Vāraṇāvatāgamana: Public Farewell, Vidura’s Coded Counsel, and Departure

Devanagari script

असामान्यमिदं तात लोकेष्वस्त्रं निगद्यते । तद्‌ धारयेथा: प्रयत: शृणु चेदं वचो मम,“तात! यह अस्त्र तीनों लोकोंमें असाधारण बताया गया है। तुम मन और इन्द्रियोंको संयममें रखकर इस अस्त्रको धारण करो और मेरी यह बात सुनो

Transliteration

asāmānyam idaṃ tāta lokeṣv astraṃ nigadyate | tad dhārayethāḥ prayataḥ śṛṇu cedaṃ vaco mama ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Mein Sohn, diese Waffe gilt in den Welten als etwas Außergewöhnliches. Darum trage sie in strenger Selbstzucht; und höre aufmerksam auf meine Worte.“

Word by Word

असामान्यम्uncommon, extraordinary

इदम्this

तातdear son / dear one

लोकेषुin the worlds

अस्त्रम्weapon (missile)

निगद्यतेis said / is declared

तत्that (weapon)

धारयेथाःyou should hold / bear

प्रयतःcareful, disciplined, attentive

शृणुlisten

चand

इदम्this

वचःspeech, words

ममof me / my

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

astra (divine weapon)

loka (the worlds / three worlds)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Extraordinary power must be held with restraint: the recipient of an astra is instructed to maintain self-control and disciplined attention before receiving or wielding it, emphasizing ethical responsibility alongside capability.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker (Vaiśampāyana) introduces a special, world-renowned weapon and prepares the listener to receive further instruction, stressing that it should be borne only with careful discipline and attentive listening.