Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

आशीविषसमस्पर्श: परकायप्रभेदन: । गुरुभारसहो दिव्य: सपत्नानां भयप्रद:

Transliteration

āśīviṣasamasparśaḥ parakāyaprabhēdanaḥ | gurubhārasaho divyaḥ sapatnānāṁ bhayapradaḥ ||

Translation

Uttara sagte: „Er ist wie die Berührung einer Giftschlange—tödlich, ihm zu begegnen; er vermag den Leib eines anderen zu durchbohren (er trifft mit unfehlbarer Wucht); er erträgt die schwerste Last; in seiner Kraft ist er göttlich; und er flößt den rivalisierenden Kriegern Furcht ein.“

Word by Word

आशीविषसमस्पर्शःwhose touch is like that of a venomous serpent

परकायप्रभेदनःone who can pierce/penetrate another’s body

गुरुभारसहःable to bear heavy burdens

दिव्यःdivine, wondrous

सपत्नानाम्of the rivals/enemies

भयप्रदःgiving fear; fear-inspiring

Speaker

उत्तर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Uttara

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 the kṣatriya ideal of formidable strength used as deterrence: true martial excellence is described not merely as aggression, but as a power that makes adversaries hesitate, thereby shaping the moral and strategic landscape of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttara is describing a warrior’s terrifying capabilities through vivid metaphors—deadly contact like a serpent, the ability to pierce foes, endurance under heavy loads, and near-divine prowess—emphasizing how such a fighter inspires fear in opponents.