Shloka 38

Devanagari script

संजय उवाच इत्येवमुक्त्वा पुनरेव पार्थो युधिष्ठिरं धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठम्‌ । विमुच्य शस्त्राणि भरनुर्विसृज्य कोशे च खड्गं विनिधाय तूर्णम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca ity evam uktvā punar eva pārtho yudhiṣṭhiraṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ variṣṭham | vimucya śastrāṇi dhanuś ca visṛjya kośe ca khaḍgaṃ vinidhāya tūṛṇam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having spoken thus, Pārtha (Arjuna) once again addressed Yudhiṣṭhira, the foremost among upholders of dharma. Then, casting aside his weapons and letting go of his bow, he swiftly placed his sword back into its scabbard—an outward act of restraint and deference amid the pressures of war.

Word by Word

संजयःSanjaya

उवाचsaid

इतिthus

एवम्in this manner

उक्त्वाhaving said

पुनःagain

एवindeed/just

पार्थःthe son of Pritha (Arjuna)

युधिष्ठिरम्Yudhishthira

धर्मभृताम्of the upholders of dharma

वरिष्ठम्the foremost

विमुच्यhaving released/let go

शस्त्राणिweapons

भरन्bearing/carrying

धनुःbow

विसृज्यhaving cast aside/let go

कोशेin the scabbard

चand

खड्गम्sword

विनिधायhaving placed/put (in)

तूर्णम्quickly

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Yudhiṣṭhira

śastrāṇi (weapons)

dhanuḥ (bow)

khaḍga (sword)

kośa (scabbard)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in the midst of battle, dharma is expressed through self-restraint and proper regard for rightful authority: Arjuna’s laying aside of weapons and sheathing the sword signals controlled conduct and respectful submission to Yudhiṣṭhira, the foremost upholder of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After speaking, Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna again turns to Yudhiṣṭhira and, in a swift gesture, releases his weapons, lets go of his bow, and puts his sword back into its scabbard—marking a pause in aggression and a shift to counsel or appeal.