Shloka 68

निवातकवचवधः — Arjuna’s Neutralization of the Nivātakavacas

Vajra-astra deployment

Devanagari script

प्रायक्षित्तं च वेत्थ त्वं प्रतिघातं च सर्वश: । ततो गुर्वर्थकालो<यं समुत्पन्न: परंतप,“वीर! अस्त्र-युद्धमें तुम्हारा सामना कर सके, ऐसा कोई योद्धा नहीं होगा। कुरुश्रेष्ठ! तुम सर्वदा सावधान रहते हो, प्रत्येक कार्यमें कुशल हो, जितेन्द्रिय, सत्यवादी और ब्राह्मणभक्त हो; तुम्हें अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंका ज्ञान है और तुम अद्भुत शौर्यसे सम्पन्न हो। पार्थ! तुमने पाँच विधियोंसहित पंद्रह अस्त्र प्राप्त किये हैं, अतः इस भूतलपर तुम्हारे-जैसा शूर दूसरा कोई नहीं है। परंतप धनंजय! प्रयोग, उपसंहार, आवृत्ति, प्रायश्चित्त- और प्रतिघातर --ये अस्त्रोंकी पाँच विधियाँ हैं; तुम इन सबका पूर्ण ज्ञान प्राप्त कर चुके हो। अत: अब गुरुदक्षिणा देनेका समय आ गया है

Transliteration

prāyaścittaṃ ca vettha tvaṃ pratighātaṃ ca sarvaśaḥ | tato gurvarthakālo 'yaṃ samutpannaḥ paraṃtapa ||

Translation

You know, in every respect, both the expiatory procedure and the counter-strike. Therefore, O scorcher of foes, the time has now arisen for the teacher’s due—your guru’s fee. (The speaker underscores that mastery of weapons is not merely their use, but also their restraint, reversal, and atonement; hence the ethical obligation to honor the teacher.)

Word by Word

प्रायश्चित्तम्expiation; corrective procedure

चand

वेत्थyou know

त्वम्you

प्रतिघातम्counter-strike; countermeasure

चand

सर्वशःin every way; completely

ततःtherefore; then

गुरु-अर्थ-कालःthe time for the teacher’s due (fee/service)

अयम्this

समुत्पन्नःhas arisen; has come about

परंतपO scorcher of foes (epithet)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna (implied by speaker tag)

paraṃtapa (epithet of the addressee)

guru (the teacher, implied)

guru-dakṣiṇā (teacher’s fee, implied)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True mastery includes knowing how to correct, neutralize, and atone for errors in the use of power; with such mastery comes the ethical duty to honor one’s teacher through guru-dakṣiṇā.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker affirms the addressee’s complete knowledge of key weapon-procedures—especially expiation (prāyaścitta) and counteraction (pratighāta)—and concludes that the proper moment has arrived to render what is due to the guru (the teacher’s fee/service).