Shloka 21

Brahmaṇānāṃ Yācanā—Tīrtha-yātrā-prastāvaḥ

The Brahmanas’ Petition and the Proposal of Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

महाहवेष्वप्रतिमं महायुद्धविशारदम्‌ । महाथनुर्धरं वीरं महास्त्रं वरवर्णिनम्‌

Transliteration

mahāhaveṣv apratimaṁ mahāyuddhaviśāradam | mahādhanuḥdharaṁ vīraṁ mahāstraṁ varavarṇinam

Translation

Dijo Vaiśaṃpāyana: Era incomparable en las grandes batallas, consumado en las artes de la guerra poderosa: héroe, maestro del gran arco, dueño de armas temibles y de excelente presencia.

Word by Word

महाहवेषुin great battles

अप्रतिमम्incomparable

महायुद्धविशारदम्skilled in great warfare

महाधनुर्धरम्a great bow-bearer (mighty archer)

वीरम्hero, warrior

महास्त्रम्possessing great weapons / great in weapons

वरवर्णिनम्of excellent appearance/complexion

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an idealized warrior profile: excellence in battle is grounded in mastery (viśāradatā), disciplined capability with weapons, and noble conduct/appearance—suggesting that power is meant to be cultivated as a trained, responsible kṣatriya virtue rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana is describing a particular hero in elevated epithets—unmatched in major combats, expert in warfare, a great archer, and formidable in weaponry—setting the tone for the character’s significance in the unfolding events.