Shloka 12

Chapter 40: Śiva in Kirāta Disguise Tests Arjuna

Mūka-vadha and the Contest

Devanagari script

यस्मिज्छुलसहस््राणि गदाश्षोग्रप्रदर्शना: । शराश्षाशीविषाकारा: सम्भवन्त्यनुमन्त्रिते,मुझे वह अस्त्र प्रदान कीजिये, जिससे संग्राममें दानवों, राक्षसों, भूतों, पिशाचों, गन्धवों तथा नागोंको भस्म कर सकूँ। जिस अस्त्रके अभिमन्त्रित करते ही सहस्रों शूल, देखनेमें भयंकर गदाएँ और विषैले सर्पोके समान बाण प्रकट हों

Transliteration

yasmin śūla-sahasrāṇi gadāś cogrā-pradarśanāḥ | śarāś cāśīviṣākārāḥ sambhavanti anumantṛte ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “Grant me that weapon by which, in battle, I may reduce to ashes the Dānavas, Rākṣasas, Bhūtas, Piśācas, Gandharvas, and Nāgas—an enchanted weapon such that, the moment it is empowered by mantra, thousands of spears arise, along with terrifying maces, and arrows shaped like venomous serpents.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'yasmin', 'definition': 'in which

• by which (relative pronoun referring to the weapon)'}, {'term': 'śūla', 'definition': 'spear, pike, trident-like weapon'}, {'term': 'sahasrāṇi', 'definition': 'thousands'}, {'term': 'gadā', 'definition': 'mace, club (heavy striking weapon)'}, {'term': 'ugra', 'definition': 'fierce, dreadful, formidable'}, {'term': 'pradarśanāḥ', 'definition': 'in appearance

• showing/manifesting (here: dreadful to behold)'}, {'term': 'śara', 'definition': 'arrow'}, {'term': 'āśīviṣa', 'definition': 'venomous serpent (lit. ‘poisoned snake’)'}, {'term': 'ākāra', 'definition': 'form, shape, likeness'}, {'term': 'sambhavanti', 'definition': 'come into being, arise, appear'}, {'term': 'anumantṛte', 'definition': 'when empowered/authorized by mantra

• upon being consecrated (instrumental/locative sense: ‘on being enchanted’)'}]

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• astra (divine weapon)
• śūla (spears)
• gadā (maces)
• śara (arrows)
• āśīviṣa (venomous serpents)
• Dānavas
• Rākṣasas
• Bhūtas
• Piśācas
• Gandharvas
• Nāgas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the immense potency of mantra-empowered weapons and implicitly raises the ethical demand for restraint: such destructive power is sought not for cruelty but for safeguarding dharma against hostile, disruptive forces.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna petitions for a specific astra whose consecration by mantra instantly manifests overwhelming armaments—spears, fearsome maces, and serpent-like arrows—so he can defeat various non-human adversarial beings in battle.