Shloka 48

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

Nivātakavaca engagement

Devanagari script

ततः प्राञज्जलिरेवाहमस्त्रेषु गतमानस:

Transliteration

tataḥ prāñjalir evāham astreṣu gatamānasaḥ | manasā śaṅkaraṃ devaṃ praṇamyaivam abhāṣata || yadi me bhagavān tuṣṭaḥ syāt tad varam imaṃ vṛṇe | devatānāṃ yathā divyāny astrāṇi santi tāny aham | jñātum icchāmi sarvāṇi || etac chrutvā bhagavān śaṅkara uvāca | pāṇḍunandana sarvadivyāstraprāptim te varaṃ dadāmi ||

Translation

ແລ້ວຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຢືນດ້ວຍມືປະນົມ, ໃຈຈົ່ງຈໍ່ຢູ່ກັບອາວຸດ ແລະ ຄວາມລຶກລັບຂອງມັນ. ໃນໃຈຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ນົບນ້ອມຕໍ່ພຣະສັງກະຣະ (Śaṅkara) ແລະກ່າວວ່າ: «ຖ້າພຣະອົງພໍໃຈໃນຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ, ພອນທີ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າປາຖະໜາຄື—ອາວຸດທິບທັງຫມົດທີ່ພວກເທວະມີ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຢາກຮູ້ມັນທັງປວງ»។ ພຣະສັງກະຣະຈຶ່ງຕອບວ່າ: «ໂອ ລູກແຫ່ງປານດຸ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າປະທານພອນໃຫ້ເຈົ້າໄດ້ຮັບອາວຸດທິບທັງຫມົດ».

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: Avyaya

• प्राञ्जलिः: with joined palms (one having folded hands)
• प्राञ्जलिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: Avyaya

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

• अस्त्रेषु: in/among weapons (missiles)
• अस्त्रेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• गतमानसः: whose mind had gone (was absorbed)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत-मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• the Devas (gods)
• divine astras (celestial weapons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power—especially martial power—should be sought through humility, self-control, and rightful purpose. Arjuna’s request is framed as a disciplined, sanctioned pursuit (learning divine astras) rather than ego-driven domination, and Śiva’s granting of the boon implies responsibility and ethical restraint in its use.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna, intent on acquiring divine weapons for the coming conflict, folds his hands and mentally bows to Śiva. He asks to learn all celestial weapons possessed by the gods. Śiva responds by granting him the boon of obtaining all divine astras.