Shloka 12

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 42 — Duryodhana’s counsel to Bhīṣma on ajñātavāsa risk and raid strategy

Devanagari script

वैयाप्रकोशे निहितो हेमचित्रो दुरासद: । सुफलश्रित्रकोशश्व॒ किड़किणीसायको महान्‌

Transliteration

vaiyāprakōśe nihito hemacitro durāsadaḥ | suphalāśritrakośaś ca kiḍkiṇīsāyako mahān ||

Translation

Uttara dijo: «En la armería hay un gran arma, difícil de acercarse a ella: está adornada con oro y ricamente engalanada. Es un arco poderoso, célebre por su eficacia infalible, y va acompañado de flechas cuyos carcajes y herrajes tintinean con cascabeles.»

Word by Word

वैयाप्रकोशेin the Vaiyāpra-quiver (a particular quiver)

निहितःplaced, deposited

हेमचित्रःgold-adorned, variegated with gold

दुरासदःhard to approach/assail

सुफलश्रित्रकोशःa quiver/treasure-case of auspicious fruit-like splendor (textually uncertain compound)

किङ्किणीसायकःa (quiver/weapon) with tinkling-bell arrows / bell-adorned arrows

महान्great, mighty

Speaker

उत्तर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Uttara

armoury (weapon-store)

gold-adorned weapon/bow

quiver

arrows

bells (kiḍkiṇī)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the gravity of warfare and the responsibility tied to powerful weapons: formidable arms are not casual possessions but guarded instruments whose use demands courage, restraint, and kṣatriya discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttara points out that a magnificent, formidable weapon is stored in the royal armoury—gold-adorned and accompanied by quivers and arrows—setting the scene for arming oneself in the unfolding conflict.