Shloka 12

Devanagari script

संनद्धो हार्जुनो याति विधृत्य परमेषुधी । गाण्डीवं मुहुरादत्ते नि:श्वसंश्व निरीक्षते,हमने सुना है, अर्जुन कवच धारण करके दो उत्तम तूणीर पीठपर लटकाये हुए जाते हैं। वे बार-बार गाण्डीव धनुष हाथमें लेते हैं और लम्बी साँसें खींचकर इधर-उधर देखते हैं। इसी प्रकार भीमसेन शीघ्र ही अपना रथ जोतकर भारी गदा उठाये बड़ी उतावलीके साथ यहाँसे निकलकर गये हैं

Transliteration

saṃnaddho hārjuno yāti vidhṛtya parameṣudhī | gāṇḍīvaṃ muhur ādatte niḥśvasaṃśva nirīkṣate ||

Translation

Duryodhana said: “We have heard that Arjuna, fully armoured, is on the move, bearing two excellent quivers. Again and again he takes up the Gāṇḍīva bow, and, drawing deep breaths, he scans all directions.”

Word by Word

संनद्धःarmored, fully equipped

ह-अर्जुनःArjuna

यातिgoes, proceeds

विधृत्यhaving held/bearing

परम-इषुधीtwo excellent quivers

गाण्डीवम्Gāṇḍīva (his bow)

मुहुःagain and again, repeatedly

आदत्तेtakes up, grasps

नि:श्वसन्breathing out, exhaling

चand

अनुश्वसन्breathing in, inhaling

निरीक्षतेlooks around, observes

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

Arjuna

Gāṇḍīva

quivers (iṣudhī)

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?

The verse highlights how outward signs—armour, weapons, repeated readiness-gestures, and vigilant scanning—signal inner resolve. Ethically, it underscores how escalating hostility and fear can be read in preparations for violence, foreshadowing the consequences of unresolved injustice and rivalry.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana reports what he sees: Arjuna is moving about fully armed, carrying two quivers, repeatedly taking up his bow Gāṇḍīva, and looking around while breathing deeply—an image of imminent action and heightened alertness.