Shloka 363

शल्यस्य सेनापत्याभ्युपगमः | Śalya’s Acceptance of Command

Devanagari script

शस्त्रावभूथपूतानां ध्रुवं वासस्त्रिविष्टपे “जिनके आचरण श्रेष्ठ हैं

Transliteration

śastrāvabhūthapūtānāṃ dhruvaṃ vāsaḥ trivīṣṭape

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: Aquellos sabios que son purificados por el ‘avabhṛtha’ de las armas—de conducta noble, que jamás retroceden en la batalla, que hacen verdad sus votos y rinden culto mediante sacrificios—alcanzan sin duda morada en el cielo.

Word by Word

• शस्त्र: with a weapon
• शस्त्र: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अवभूथ: in the avabhṛtha (final bath/rite)
• अवभूथ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवभूथ
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पूतानाम्: of the purified (ones)
• पूतानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूत
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव

• वासः: dwelling, residence
• वासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रिविष्टपे: in heaven (Triviṣṭapa)
• त्रिविष्टपे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिविष्टप
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Trivīṣṭapa (Svarga)
• Śastra (weapons)
• Avabhṛtha (ritual bath)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links steadfast performance of one’s dharma—especially a warrior’s refusal to retreat, truthfulness to vows, and reverence for yajña—with spiritual ‘purification’ and the assured reward of heaven. It frames righteous battle as a sacrificial act, where the ordeal of weapons functions like an avabhṛtha bath.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the Kurukṣetra events, offers a reflective statement about the fate of exemplary men in war: those who uphold noble conduct, keep their pledges, and remain committed to sacrificial worship are said to attain svarga, their combat being portrayed as a purifying culmination akin to a ritual bath.