Shloka 26

Śiva Grants the Pāśupata Astra (Pāśupata-Śastra Upadeśa) | शिवेन पाशुपतास्त्रदानम्

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच प्रतिजग्राह तत्‌ पार्थो विधिवत्‌ कुरुनन्दन: । समन्त्र॑ सोपचारं च समोक्षविनिवर्तनम्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! कुरुनन्दन कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुनने विधिपूर्वक मन्त्र, उपचार, प्रयोग और उपसंहारसहित उस अस्त्रको ग्रहण किया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | pratijagrāha tat pārtho vidhivat kurunandanaḥ | samantraṃ sopacāraṃ ca samokṣavinivartanam ||

Translation

ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಜನಮೇಜಯ! ಕುರುನಂದನ ಪಾರ್ಥ ಅರ್ಜುನನು ವಿಧಿವತ್ತಾಗಿ ಆ ಅಸ್ತ್ರವನ್ನು ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸಿದನು—ಮಂತ್ರಸಹಿತ, ಉಪಚಾರಸಹಿತ, ಅದರ ಪ್ರಯೋಗ ಮತ್ತು ಉಪಸಂಹಾರದ ವಿಧಾನಸಹಿತ.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

प्रतिजग्राहaccepted/received

तत्that (thing/weapon)

पार्थःPārtha (Arjuna)

विधिवत्according to rule; duly

कुरुनन्दनःdelight of the Kurus (epithet)

समन्त्रंtogether with the mantra

सोपचारंtogether with the prescribed rites/attendant procedures

चand

समोक्षविनिवर्तनम्with the procedure of discharge and withdrawal (release and recall)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna (Pārtha, son of Kuntī)

Kuru lineage (Kurunandana)

astra (divine weapon)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Extraordinary power (astra) must be acquired and used only through proper discipline—knowing not only how to deploy it but also how to restrain and withdraw it. The verse highlights ethical control and procedural correctness as integral to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, Arjuna formally receives a weapon/weapon-lore in the prescribed way, including its mantra, ritual observances, the method of use, and the method of withdrawal—signaling complete and responsible mastery rather than mere possession.