Shloka 73

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः

Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थामा महावीर्य: शत्रुपक्षभयावह: । वीर: कमलपत्राक्ष: क्षितावासीन्नराधिप

Transliteration

aśvatthāmā mahāvīryaḥ śatrupakṣabhayāvahaḥ | vīraḥ kamalapatrākṣaḥ kṣitāvāsīn narādhipa ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: Aśvatthāmā era de gran poder, terror del ejército enemigo. Héroe de ojos como pétalos de loto, vivió sobre esta tierra, oh rey—poderoso en valor y apto para aplastar a las fuerzas contrarias.

Word by Word

• अश्वत्थामा: Ashvatthaman
• अश्वत्थामा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थामन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महावीर्यः: of great prowess
• महावीर्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावीर्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शत्रुपक्षभयावहः: bringing fear to the enemy side
• शत्रुपक्षभयावहः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत्रुपक्षभयावह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वीरः: hero, warrior
• वीरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कमलपत्राक्षः: lotus-petal-eyed (having eyes like lotus petals)
• कमलपत्राक्षः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कमलपत्राक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षितौ: on the earth
• क्षितौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• अवासी: dwelt, lived
• अवासी: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• नराधिप: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• भारत: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Aśvatthāmā
• Narādhipa (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how extraordinary martial power can inspire awe and fear; in the broader context of Aśvatthāmā’s origin (linked with forces like wrath), it also hints that strength without restraint can become ethically dangerous.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing Aśvatthāmā’s formidable nature—great valor, fearsome to enemies, and marked by lotus-like eyes—within a genealogical/character-introduction passage in the Ādi Parva.