Shloka 20
Devanagari script
स न: प्रथमजो भ्राता सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वर:
Transliteration
sa naḥ prathamajo bhrātā sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ
Translation
वैशम्पायन बोले—वह हमारा ज्येष्ठ भ्राता है, और समस्त शस्त्रधारियों में श्रेष्ठ।
Word by Word
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नःof us / our
नः:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Plural
प्रथमजःfirst-born / eldest
प्रथमजः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रथमज
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भ्राताbrother
भ्राता:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभ्रातृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सर्वशस्त्रभृताम्of all weapon-bearers
सर्वशस्त्रभृताम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वशस्त्रभृत्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
वरःthe best / excellent
वरः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The line elevates the ethical weight of kinship and seniority: the eldest brother is not only a family anchor but also a model of martial excellence, implying responsibility and exemplary conduct in times of crisis.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the events of the Strī Parva, identifies a figure as “our first-born brother” and praises him as the foremost among weapon-bearers, underscoring his status and prowess within the war-torn context.