Shloka 35

Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

ऋष्टिखड्गमहानौका गृध्रकड्कबलप्लवा । पुरुषादानुचरिता भीरूणां कश्मलावहा

Transliteration

ṛṣṭikhaḍgamahānaukā gṛdhrakaḍkabalaplavā | puruṣādānucaritā bhīrūṇāṁ kaśmalāvahā ||

Translation

अम्बरीष ने कहा—यह महान् ‘नौका’ भालों और खड्गों से बनी है; इसके बेड़े गिद्ध-सदृश कठोर दलों से रचे गए हैं। इसे नरभक्षी अनुचर चलाते हैं, और यह कायरों के लिए मोह तथा धर्म-संकट का कारण बनती है।

Word by Word

• ऋष्टिखड्गमहानौका: she whose great boat is spear-and-sword (i.e., armed with spear and sword as her great vessel)
• ऋष्टिखड्गमहानौका: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋष्टि-खड्ग-महा-नौका
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गृध्रकङ्कबलप्लवा: she whose raft/float is the strength of vultures and herons (i.e., supported by vulture-and-kanka forces)
• गृध्रकङ्कबलप्लवा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्र-कङ्क-बल-प्लवा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषादानुचरिता: followed by man-seizing (i.e., attended by those who seize men)
• पुरुषादानुचरिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरुष-आदान-अनुचरित
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भीरूणाम्: of the timid/cowardly
• भीरूणाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीरु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कश्मलावहा: bringing delusion/distress
• कश्मलावहा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कश्मल-आहृ (वह)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

अम्बरीष उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ambarīṣa
• spears (ṛṣṭi)
• swords (khaḍga)
• boat (naukā)
• vultures (gṛdhra)
• army/forces (bala)
• man-eaters (puruṣāda)
• the timid (bhīru)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that a path driven by weapons, predatory forces, and cruel followers generates kaśmala—inner confusion and ethical collapse—especially in those who lack steadiness; it cautions against being carried along by violent, fear-inducing power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Ambarīṣa speaks in a vivid metaphor, describing a terrifying ‘boat’ of warfare—built from spears and swords and supported by fierce troops—guided by savage attendants, emphasizing how such an environment overwhelms and destabilizes the fearful.