Shloka 30

अध्याय ५८ — वानरध्वजस्य महेन्द्रास्त्रप्रयोगः

Chapter 58: Arjuna’s Deployment of the Indra-Weapon

Devanagari script

पार्थ च सुमहाबाहुर्महावेगैर्महारथ: । विव्याध निशितैर्बाणैर्मेघो वृष्टयेव पर्वतम्‌

Transliteration

pārthaṃ ca sumahābāhur mahāvegair mahārathaḥ | vivyādha niśitair bāṇair megho vṛṣṭyeva parvatam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Le grand guerrier aux bras puissants, maharatha, perça Pārtha (Arjuna) de flèches rapides et tranchantes—comme un nuage de pluie détrempe une montagne de son déluge.

Word by Word

• पार्थम्: Arjuna (son of Pritha)
• पार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सुमहाबाहुः: the very mighty-armed one
• सुमहाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमहाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महावेगैः: with very swift (ones)
• महावेगैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावेग
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• महारथः: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• निशितैः: with sharp
• निशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• मेघः: a cloud
• मेघः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृष्ट्या: with rain / by raining
• वृष्ट्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• पर्वतम्: a mountain
• पर्वतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• mahārathaḥ (great chariot-warrior)
• megha (cloud)
• parvata (mountain)
• bāṇa (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness and duty in conflict: a warrior may face an overwhelming barrage, yet the ethical ideal is to remain composed and resolute in one’s appointed role (kṣatriya-dharma), meeting force with disciplined courage rather than panic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a battle moment where a great chariot-warrior strikes Arjuna repeatedly with fast, sharp arrows. The intensity is compared to a rain-cloud pouring upon a mountain, conveying sustained, heavy assault.