Shloka 18

Adhyāya 195 — Arjuna’s Capability and Restraint Regarding Divyāstras

Udyoga Parva

Devanagari script

बभूवुरतिसंरब्धा: कृतप्रहरणा नरा:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | babhūvur atisaṃrabdhāḥ kṛtapraharaṇā narāḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The men, already seasoned by earlier battles, became intensely inflamed with martial ardor, fully armed and ready to strike. The scene conveys the swelling momentum of war—experienced fighters, weapons prepared, and passions heightened—signaling how quickly collective excitement can harden into violence when restraint and counsel fail.

Word by Word

• बभूवुः: became / were
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्ण भूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथम, बहुवचन

• अति-संरब्धाः: highly enraged / greatly excited
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संरब्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √रभ्/रम्भ् से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कृत-प्रहरणाः: having weapons ready / armed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त) + प्रहरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नराः: men / warriors
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• warriors (narāḥ)
• weapons (praharaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how quickly trained, experienced people can be swept into collective aggression once weapons are readied and emotions intensify—implying the ethical need for restraint, wise counsel, and de-escalation before violence becomes inevitable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes warriors who have fought before becoming highly excited and fully armed, indicating a mobilized force and an atmosphere of imminent conflict.