Shloka 41

Devanagari script

अभीतीौ युधि दुर्धर्षा तस्थतु: सज्जकार्मुकौ । उस महासंग्राममें प्रलयकालके समान रूपवाले तथा प्राणियोंको मोहमें डाल देनेवाले अद्भुत अपशकुन दिखायी देने लगे। देवताओंसहित इन्द्रको रोषमें भरा देख अपनी महिमासे च्युत न होनेवाले निर्भय तथा दुर्धर्ष वीर श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन धनुष तानकर युद्धके लिये खड़े हो गये || ३९-४० $ ।। आगच्छतस्ततो देवानुभौ युद्धविशारदौ

Transliteration

abhītau yudhi durdharṣā tasthatuḥ sajja-kārmukau | āgacchatas tato devān ubhau yuddha-viśāradau ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Fearless and hard to assail in battle, the two stood with bows strung and ready. Then, as the gods approached, those two masters of warfare—Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna—remained poised for combat, undaunted even amid the ominous portents that made the battlefield seem like the time of dissolution. The passage underscores steadfast courage and resolve in the face of cosmic dread and divine agitation.

Word by Word

अभीतौfearless (two)

युधिin battle

दुर्धर्षौhard to assail (two)

तस्थतुःstood

सज्जकार्मुकौwith bows made ready / ready-bowed (two)

आगच्छतःas (they) were coming / from the approaching (one)

ततःthen; from there

देवान्the gods

उभौboth

युद्धविशारदौskilled in battle (two)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Devas (gods)

Kṛṣṇa

Arjuna

Kārmuka (bow)

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?

Steadfastness in dharma: even when the world seems shaken by ominous signs and divine anger, the righteous warrior maintains composure, preparedness, and courage, acting without being overwhelmed by fear or confusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the gods draw near and the battlefield is charged with dreadful portents, two formidable figures—Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna—stand firm with bows strung, ready to meet the coming conflict without fear.