Shloka 6

Uttara–Arjuna Saṃvāda and the Re-Arming of Gāṇḍīva

Virāṭa-parva, Adhyāya 40

Devanagari script

एकं शतसहस्रेण सम्मितं राष्ट्रवर्धनम्‌ । व्यायामसहमत्यर्थ तृणराजसमं महत्‌,“उन शूरवीरोंके ध्वज, बाण और दिव्य कवच भी यहीं हैं। यहीं अर्जुनका वह महान्‌ शक्तिशाली गाण्डीव धनुष भी है, जो अकेला ही एक लाख धनुषोंके समान है। यह राष्ट्रकी वृद्धि करनेवाला, परिश्रमको सहनेमें समर्थ और ताड़के समान अत्यन्त विशाल है

Transliteration

ekaṁ śatasahasreṇa sammitaṁ rāṣṭravardhanam | vyāyāmasaham atyarthaṁ tṛṇarājasamaṁ mahat ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Hier sind auch die Banner, die Pfeile und die göttlichen Rüstungen jener Helden. Und hier ist Arjunas großer, mächtiger Bogen — Gāṇḍīva — der allein hunderttausend Bögen gleichkommt. Er mehrt das Reich, erträgt die Spannung unablässiger Anstrengung und ist gewaltig wie der Herr der Bäume.“

Word by Word

• {'ekaṁ': 'one

• single (i.e., the one bow)', 'śata-sahasreṇa': 'with a hundred thousand

• by a hundred thousand (as a measure of comparison)', 'sammitaṁ': 'measured as

• comparable to', 'rāṣṭra-vardhanam': 'increasing the realm/kingdom

• promoting sovereignty and prosperity', 'vyāyāma-saham': 'able to bear exertion

• enduring strenuous effort', 'atyartham': 'exceedingly

• to a very great extent', 'tṛṇa-rāja-samaṁ': 'equal to the ‘king of trees’ (i.e., a mighty tree

• commonly understood as the palm/tāla in this context)', 'mahat': 'great

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Arjuna
• Gāṇḍīva (bow)
• dhvaja (banner/standard)
• bāṇa (arrows)
• divya-kavaca (divine armour)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that righteous power is not mere violence but disciplined capability: a weapon like Gāṇḍīva is praised for endurance under exertion and for ‘increasing the kingdom,’ implying protection of order and rightful sovereignty when used in dharmic service.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes the stored martial equipment of the heroes and points out Arjuna’s famed bow Gāṇḍīva, emphasizing its extraordinary strength and size—setting the stage for the Pandavas’ readiness to reveal their prowess when the time comes.