Shloka 1

Devanagari script

अप ह बछ। ] अत्ऑकाए:<ह चतुर्दशो 5 ध्याय: अश्वत्थामाके अस्त्रका निवारण करनेके लिये अर्जुनके द्वारा ब्रह्मास्त्रका प्रयोग एवं वेदव्यासजी और देवर्षि नारदका प्रकट होना वैशम्पायन उवाच इड्धितेनैव दाशा्हस्तमभिप्रायमादित: । द्रौणे्बुदध्वा महाबाहुरर्जुन॑ प्रत्यभाषत

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Iddhitenaiva daśāhastam abhiprāyam āditaḥ | Drauṇim uddhṛtya mahābāhur Arjunaḥ pratyabhāṣata ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having from the outset clearly grasped the intention behind Aśvatthāmā’s act, the mighty-armed Arjuna addressed him directly. The verse frames Arjuna’s response as deliberate and discerning—an ethical counter to a reckless escalation of violence, setting the stage for restraining destructive weaponry rather than answering rage with blind retaliation.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

इद्धितेनwith (his) kindled/raised (weapon/energy)

एवindeed/just

दाशार्हास्त्रम्the Dāśārha weapon (Kṛṣṇa’s weapon/discus-weapon)

तम्him

अभिप्रायम्intention

आदितःfrom the beginning/at first

द्रौणेःof the son of Droṇa (Aśvatthāman)

बुद्ध्वाhaving understood

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed (one)

अर्जुनःArjuna

प्रत्यभाषतreplied/answered

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi)

Droṇa (implied by 'Drauṇi')

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 highlights discernment and restraint: a righteous response begins by understanding the opponent’s intention and then acting to prevent further harm, rather than reacting impulsively.

What is happening in the narrative?

After recognizing Aśvatthāmā’s intent (in the context of deploying catastrophic weaponry), Arjuna turns to address him—marking the beginning of Arjuna’s intervention to counter and restrain the impending destruction.