Shloka 24

Devanagari script

प्रमार्जमान: शनकैर्बाहू चास्यायतौ शुभौ । ज्याशरक्षेपकठिनौ स्तम्भाविव हिरणमयौ,अर्जुनकी सुन्दर विशाल भुजाएँ प्रत्यंचा खींचकर बाण चलानेकी रगड़से कठोर हो गयी थीं। वे देखनेमें सोनेके खंभे-जैसी जान पड़ती थीं। देवराज उन भुजाओंपर धीरे-धीरे हाथ फेरने लगे

Transliteration

pramārjamānaḥ śanakaiḥ bāhū cāsyāyatau śubhau | jyāśarakṣepakaṭhinau stambhāv iva hiraṇmayau ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Gently stroking them, he caressed Arjuna’s two auspicious, long arms—hardened by the strain of drawing the bowstring and launching arrows—so that they seemed like golden pillars. Thus the lord of the gods touched those arms with slow, deliberate care.

Word by Word

• प्रमार्जमानः: stroking/rubbing (gently)
• प्रमार्जमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + मृज् (धातु) → प्रमार्जयत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शनकैः: slowly, gently
• शनकैः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनकैः (अव्यय)

• बाहू: two arms
• बाहू: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अस्य: of him (his)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• आयतौ: long, extended
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयत (विशेषण)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• शुभौ: beautiful, auspicious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (विशेषण)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• ज्या-शर-क्षेप-कठिनौ: hardened by bowstring-and-arrow shooting
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कठिन (विशेषण) (पूर्वपदानि: ज्या, शर, क्षेप)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• स्तम्भौ: two pillars
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भ
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• हिरणमयौ: made of gold
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिरणमय (विशेषण)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Arjuna
• Devarāja (Indra)
• bowstring (jyā)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how disciplined practice and duty (especially a kṣatriya’s martial training) leave visible marks of effort, and how divine approval is shown not by mere praise but by intimate recognition of earned strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes Indra (the lord of the gods) gently stroking Arjuna’s arms, which have become tough from repeatedly drawing the bowstring and shooting arrows, making them appear like golden pillars.