Shloka 36

शमीवृक्षस्थायुधप्रकाशनम् / Revelation and Identification of the Weapons on the Śamī Tree

Devanagari script

एक: पुत्रो विराटस्य शून्ये संनिहित: पुरे । स एष किल निर्यातो बालभावान्न पौरुषात्‌,“विराटके सूने नगरमें उनका एक ही पुत्र देख-रेखके लिये रह गया था; सो यह बचपन (मूर्खता) के कारण हमारा सामना करनेके लिये चला आया, अपने पुरुषार्थसे प्रेरित होकर नहीं

Transliteration

ekaḥ putro virāṭasya śūnye saṁnihitaḥ pure | sa eṣa kila niryāto bālabhāvān na pauruṣāt ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “In the now-deserted city, only one son of Virāṭa had been left behind to keep watch. And this youth, it seems, has come out to confront us—not driven by true manly resolve, but prompted by childishness and immaturity.”

Word by Word

एकःone

पुत्रःson

विराटस्यof Virāṭa

शून्येin (the) empty

संनिहितःplaced/left (stationed)

पुरेin the city

सःhe

एषःthis (one)

किलindeed/it is said

निर्यातःgone out/come forth

बालभावात्from childishness

नnot

पौरुषात्from manliness/valor

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Virāṭa

Virāṭa-nagara (the city of Virāṭa)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts immature impulsiveness (bālabhāva) with true courage grounded in judgment (pauruṣa). It implies that ethical action in conflict requires discernment and responsibility, not mere rash display.

What is happening in the narrative?

With Virāṭa’s city largely emptied, only one of his sons remains on guard. That prince comes out to face the approaching opponents, but the narrator frames his action as arising from youthful folly rather than deliberate valor.