Shloka 47

अध्याय ५८ — वानरध्वजस्य महेन्द्रास्त्रप्रयोगः

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

Devanagari script

अथ वत्वाचार्यमुख्येन शरान्‌ सृष्टाज्छिलाशितान्‌ । न्यवारयच्छितैर्बाणैरर्जुनो जयतां वर:

Transliteration

atha vṛttvācāryamukhyena śarān sṛṣṭāc chilāśitān | nyavārayac chitair bāṇair arjuno jayatāṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Alors Arjuna—le premier parmi les vainqueurs—arrêta et détruisit de ses propres flèches acérées les traits lancés par le maître éminent, Droṇa, des flèches aiguisées sur la pierre.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• वत्वा: having spoken/said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• आचार्य-मुख्येन: by the foremost teacher
• आचार्य-मुख्येन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आचार्य-मुख्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सृष्टान्: released/shot
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• छिल-आशितान्: sharpened on a whetstone
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिल-आशित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• न्यवारयत्: warded off/checked
• Type: Verb
• Root: वारय् (√वृ/√वार् caus.)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• छितैः: with sharp
• छितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जयताम्: of those who conquer/victors
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: शतृ (present active participle) used as genitive plural, Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: best/excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Droṇa (ācārya)
• arrows (śara/bāṇa)
• whetstone/stone for sharpening (śilā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Excellence in righteous combat is marked by disciplined precision and restraint: Arjuna’s skill is shown in neutralizing incoming harm efficiently, reflecting kṣatriya-dharma as protection rather than uncontrolled aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa, the foremost teacher, releases stone-sharpened arrows; Arjuna, famed as the best among victors, intercepts and destroys them with his own sharp arrows, demonstrating superior archery and control in the battle sequence.