Shloka 3

Adhyāya 16: Saṃśaptaka-vrata and the Diversion of Arjuna (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६)

Devanagari script

तस्य दीप्ता महाबाणा विनिश्चेरु: सहसत्रश: । भानोरिव महाराज धर्मकाले मरीचय:,महाराज! जैसे ग्रीष्म-ऋतुमें सूर्यससे निकलकर सहस्रों किरणें सब ओर फैलती हैं, उसी प्रकार वृषसेनके धनुषसे सहस्रों तेजस्वी महाबाण निकलने लगे

Transliteration

tasya dīptā mahābāṇā viniśceruḥ sahasraśaḥ | bhānor iva mahārāja dharmakāle marīcayaḥ ||

Translation

Wahai Maharaja, dari busurnya melesat ribuan panah besar yang menyala; bagaikan sinar matahari pada saat yang ditetapkan menyebar ke segala arah, demikianlah anak panah itu memancar ke penjuru-penjuru.

Word by Word

तस्यof him/its

दीप्ताःblazing, radiant

महाबाणाःgreat arrows

विनिश्चेरुःwent forth, issued out

सहस्रशःby thousands, in thousands

भानोःof the sun

इवlike, as

महाराजO great king

धर्मकालेat the proper/appointed time (season)

मरीचयःrays

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (mahārāja)

Sun (Bhānu)

Arrows (mahābāṇa)

Bow (implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames martial action within the idea of an appointed time (kāla) tied to dharma: when the destined moment arrives, power manifests irresistibly, and deeds carry ethical weight and consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior releasing a torrent of radiant arrows from his bow, comparing their spreading brilliance to the sun’s rays fanning out in the proper season/time.