Shloka 16

Devanagari script

इष्वस्त्रे चास्त्रसंधाने लाघवे<स्त्रबले तथा । सदृश: फाल्गुनेनासि कृष्णेन च महात्मना,“बाण चलाने, दिव्यास्त्रोंका संधान करने, फुर्ती दिखाने तथा अस्त्रबलमें तुम अर्जुन तथा महात्मा श्रीकृष्णके समान हो

Transliteration

iṣv-astre cāstra-sandhāne lāghave ’strabale tathā | sadṛśaḥ phālgunenāsi kṛṣṇena ca mahātmanā ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Im Gebrauch von Pfeilen und Waffen, im Anlegen und Entfesseln göttlicher Geschosse, in der Schnelligkeit des Handelns und in der reinen Kriegskraft bist du Arjuna (Phālguna) und dem großherzigen Kṛṣṇa ebenbürtig.“

Word by Word

इष्वस्त्रेin archery (in the use of arrows/weapons)

चand

अस्त्रसंधानेin the application/setting of missiles (divine weapons)

लाघवेin quickness/agility

अस्त्रबलेin strength/power of weapons

तथाlikewise/also

सदृशःsimilar/equal

फाल्गुनेनwith/like Phalguna (Arjuna)

असिyou are

कृष्णेनwith/like Krishna

चand

महात्मनाwith/like the great-souled one

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna (Phālguna)

Kṛṣṇa

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 that true martial excellence includes mastery, precision, and agility—power that should be governed by discipline. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical horizon, such capability is admirable when subordinated to dharma, not to pride or cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a statement of high praise: the addressed warrior is said to match Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa in archery, in preparing and releasing astras, in speed, and in weapon-power—placing him among the foremost combatants of the Kurukṣetra war.