Shloka 39

धृतराष्ट्र–दुर्योधन संवादः

Vāraṇāvata-vivāsana-nīti: Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Duryodhana’s Policy Dialogue

Devanagari script

अग्निवेशं महाभागं भरद्वाज: प्रतापवान्‌ । प्रत्यपादयदाग्नेयमस्त्रमस्त्रविदां वर:,प्रतापी महर्षि भरद्वाज अस्त्रवेत्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ थे। उन्होंने महाभाग अग्निवेशको आग्नेय अस्त्रकी शिक्षा दी थी

Transliteration

Agniveśaṃ mahābhāgaṃ Bharadvājaḥ pratāpavān | pratyapādayad āgneyam astram astravidāṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The mighty and illustrious sage Bharadvāja, foremost among those who know the science of weapons, duly instructed the noble Agniveśa in the Agneya weapon. The passage underscores the disciplined transmission of power: formidable force is not seized, but conferred through qualified teaching and rightful lineage of knowledge.

Word by Word

अग्निवेशम्Agniveśa (name), the disciple

महाभागम्highly fortunate, illustrious

भरद्वाजःBharadvāja (sage)

प्रतापवान्mighty, powerful

प्रत्यपादयत्taught, imparted, instructed

आग्नेयम्fiery; belonging to Agni

अस्त्रम्weapon (missile/astral weapon)

अस्त्रविदाम्of the knowers of weapons

वरःthe best, foremost

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bharadvāja

Agniveśa

Āgneya Astra

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?

Extraordinary power (astra-vidyā) is ethically framed as a disciplined inheritance: it is transmitted by a qualified teacher to a worthy recipient, emphasizing responsibility, restraint, and legitimacy rather than mere possession of force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that the sage Bharadvāja, renowned as the foremost expert in astras, formally teaches Agniveśa the Agneya (fire) weapon, marking a moment of authorized instruction within the lineage of martial-spiritual knowledge.