Shloka 17

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 54 — Missile-Exchange and Tactical Redirection

Arjuna, Aśvatthāman, Karṇa

Devanagari script

प्रकीर्णपर्णानि यथा वसन्ते विशातयित्वा पवनोअथ्बुदांश्ष

Transliteration

prakīrṇaparṇāni yathā vasante viśātayitvā pavano 'thbudāṁśṣ

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «De même qu’au printemps le vent disperse et déchiquette les feuilles tombées, ainsi, ici, les choses sont emportées et brisées par une force puissante.»

Word by Word

• प्रकीर्णपर्णानि: scattered leaves
• प्रकीर्णपर्णानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकीर्णपर्ण (प्रकीर्ण + पर्ण)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वसन्ते: in spring
• वसन्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• विशातयित्वा: having scattered/strewn about
• Type: Verb
• Root: शातय् (शातयति)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada (causative sense), Non-finite

• पवनः: the wind
• पवनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then, and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• बुदांश्ष: rays/gleams (lit. portions of light)
• बुदांश्ष: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुदांशु (बुद + अंशु)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• wind (pavana)
• leaves (parṇa)
• spring (vasanta)
• clouds (ambuda)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses a nature-simile to highlight how quickly circumstances can be scattered and disrupted by stronger forces; ethically, it encourages composure, vigilance, and adherence to dharma even when events turn suddenly.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates with a vivid comparison—wind shredding scattered leaves in spring—to describe a situation of rapid dispersal or upheaval, setting the tone for swift changes in the unfolding events.