Shloka 18
Ādi-parva, Adhyāya 187: Drupada’s Inquiry and the Dharma Debate on Draupadī’s Marriage
प्रणम्य शिरसा देवमीशानं वरदं प्रभुम् कृष्णं च मनसा कृत्वा जगृहे चार्जुनो धनु:,इसके बाद वरदायक भगवान् शंकरको मस्तक झुकाकर प्रणाम किया और मन-ही-मन भगवान् श्रीकृष्णका चिन्तन करके अर्जुनने वह धनुष उठा लिया
praṇamya śirasā devam īśānaṁ varadaṁ prabhum | kṛṣṇaṁ ca manasā kṛtvā jagṛhe cārjuno dhanuḥ ||
Having bowed with his head to the god Īśāna—Śiva, the gracious bestower of boons and sovereign lord—and having inwardly fixed his mind upon Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna took up the bow. The verse frames heroic action as grounded in reverence and disciplined devotion: strength is to be exercised only after acknowledging divine authority and aligning one’s intent with righteous guidance.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Right action is preceded by humility and inner alignment: Arjuna first offers reverence to Śiva as the giver of boons and then steadies his intention by remembering Kṛṣṇa, suggesting that power and skill should be exercised under dharmic orientation and devotion rather than ego.
Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Arjuna bows to Śiva (Īśāna) and mentally contemplates Kṛṣṇa; then he physically takes up the bow, marking readiness for the next act—testing or undertaking a formidable task—after invoking divine support.