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Shloka 52

Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness

Nivātakavaca engagement

उवाच च महादेवो दत्त्वा मे5स्त्रं सनातनम्‌ | न प्रयोज्यं भवेदेतन्मानुषेषु कथठ्चन,अपना सनातन अस्त्र मुझे देकर महादेवजी फिर बोले--तुम्हें मनुष्योंपर किसी प्रकार इस अस्त्रका प्रयोग नहीं करना चाहिये

uvāca ca mahādevo dattvā me ’straṃ sanātanam | na prayojyaṃ bhaved etan mānuṣeṣu kathaṃcana ||

永遠の武器を私に授けたのち、マハーデーヴァ(シヴァ)は重ねて告げられた。「いかなる場合であれ、これを人間に対して用いてはならぬ。」

उवाचsaid/spoke
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
महादेवःMahadeva (Shiva)
महादेवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहादेव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
दत्त्वाhaving given
दत्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदा
FormAbsolutive (Gerund), Active
मेto me
मे:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Dative, Singular
अस्त्रम्weapon (missile)
अस्त्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअस्त्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
सनातनम्eternal/ancient
सनातनम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसनातन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
प्रयोज्यम्to be employed/used
प्रयोज्यम्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-युज्
FormGerundive (Anīyar), Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Passive sense
भवेत्should be/would be
भवेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
एतत्this
एतत्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
मानुषेषुamong humans/on men
मानुषेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमानुष
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
कथञ्चनin any way/at any time (ever)
कथञ्चन:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथञ्चन

अजुन उवाच

M
Mahādeva (Śiva)
A
Arjuna
S
sanātana astra (eternal/divine weapon)

Educational Q&A

Even divinely granted power is governed by dharma: the weapon is to be held with restraint and must not be used against human beings. The verse emphasizes ethical limits, not merely capability.

Arjuna reports that after Mahādeva grants him an ancient, eternal weapon, Śiva immediately adds a strict prohibition: it is not to be deployed against humans, underscoring the conditional nature of the gift.