Shloka 26

Bhīṣma’s Stuti of Keśava and Counsel on Nara–Nārāyaṇa (भीष्म-स्तवः; नरनारायण-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

ततः प्रहस्याद्भुतविक्रमेण गाण्डीवमुक्तेन शिलाशितेन । विपाठजालेन महास्त्रजालं विनाशयामास किरीटमाली

Transliteration

tataḥ prahasyādbhuta-vikrameṇa gāṇḍīva-muktena śilāśitena | vipāṭha-jālena mahāstra-jālaṁ vināśayāmāsa kirīṭamālī ||

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: Entonces Arjuna, el de la diadema, sonriendo y mostrando un valor prodigioso, hizo añicos la vasta red de poderosos proyectiles del enemigo con descargas de flechas Vipāṭha—flechas disparadas desde el Gāṇḍīva y afiladas sobre piedra. La escena subraya cómo el dominio disciplinado y la presencia de ánimo en la batalla pueden neutralizar incluso una fuerza abrumadora.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रहस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• अद्भुत-विक्रमेण: with wondrous prowess
• अद्भुत-विक्रमेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत-विक्रम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• गाण्डीव-मुक्तेन: released from (the bow) Gāṇḍīva
• गाण्डीव-मुक्तेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गाण्डीव-मुक्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शिला-आशितेन: sharpened on a stone
• शिला-आशितेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिला-आशित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• विपाठ-जालेन: with a net/cluster of Vipāṭha (arrows)
• विपाठ-जालेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपाठ-जाल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• महा-अस्त्र-जालम्: the great net of weapons
• महा-अस्त्र-जालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-अस्त्र-जाल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विनाशयामास: destroyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु) / नाशय (णिच्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, true

• किरीट-माली: the diadem-wearer (Arjuna)
• किरीट-माली: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरीट-मालिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महौघम्: a great flood/current
• महौघम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महौघ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आयान्तम्: coming/approaching
• Type: Adjective
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• खात्: from the sky
• खात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (खम्)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• पतन्तम्: falling
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• उरगम्: a serpent
• उरगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भ्रान्त-आवरण-निस्त्रिंशम्: with a naked sword flashing/whirling (lit. sword with covering removed, brandished)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रान्त-आवरण-निस्त्रिंश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• काल-उत्सृष्टम्: sent forth by Time (Death)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल-उत्सृष्ट
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अन्तकम्: Death/destroyer
• अन्तकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Kirīṭamālī)
• Gāṇḍīva (bow)
• Vipāṭha (name/type of arrows)
• Mahāstra (great missiles/weapons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid violence, the epic highlights disciplined mastery and clarity of mind: Arjuna’s controlled skill neutralizes a dangerous barrage, suggesting that power guided by training and steadiness can prevent greater harm and restore balance in a dharma-framed conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Arjuna smiling as he unleashes stone-honed Vipāṭha arrows from the Gāṇḍīva, cutting down and destroying the opposing side’s large-scale barrage—an ‘astra-net’—thereby turning back a formidable weapons assault.