Shloka 21

Kṛṣṇa-vīrya-kathana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s appraisal of Vāsudeva’s deeds

Devanagari script

इषुसम्बाधमाकाशं कुर्वन्‌ कपिवरध्वज: । यदा55यात्‌ कथमासीत्‌ तु तदा पार्थ समीक्षताम्‌,वानरके चिह्नसे युक्त श्रेष्ठ ध्वजावाले अर्जुन जब आकाशको अपने बाणोंसे ठसाठस भरते हुए तुमलोगोंपर चढ़ आये थे, उस समय उन्हें देखकर तुम्हारे मनकी कैसी दशा हुई थी?

Transliteration

iṣu-sambādham ākāśaṁ kurvan kapivara-dhvajaḥ | yadā yāt katham āsīt tu tadā pārtha samīkṣatām ||

Translation

ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಕಪಿವರ (ಹನುಮಾನ್) ಚಿಹ್ನೆಯ ಧ್ವಜವನ್ನು ಧರಿಸಿದ ಪಾರ್ಥ ಅರ್ಜುನನು ಬಾಣಗಳಿಂದ ಆಕಾಶವನ್ನು ದಟ್ಟಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತಾ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮೇಲೆ ಮುನ್ನುಗ್ಗಿ ಬಂದಾಗ, ಅವನನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಹೇಗಿತ್ತು?

Word by Word

इषु-सम्बाधम्densely filled with arrows

आकाशम्the sky

कुर्वन्making, doing

कपि-वर-ध्वजःhe whose banner bears the best of monkeys (Hanumat)

यदाwhen

आयात्came, advanced

कथम्how

आसीत्was

तुbut/indeed

तदाthen

पार्थO Partha (Arjuna)

समीक्षताम्let it be considered/observed (by them)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Hanumān (as kapivara on the banner)

Arrows (iṣu)

Banner/standard (dhvaja)

Sky (ākāśa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and psychological dimension of kṣatriya-dharma: even amid overwhelming violence (the sky ‘choked’ with arrows), a warrior is examined not only by deeds but by inner steadiness—fear, resolve, and discernment when confronted with terrifying force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, narrating the events of the war, addresses Arjuna (Pārtha) and asks about his mental state at the moment an opponent advanced while filling the sky with arrows. The description emphasizes the intensity of the assault and frames Arjuna’s response as something worth reflecting upon.