Mahabharata 3.37.19 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 37, Shloka 19

Vyāsa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira: Pratismṛti-vidyā, Arjuna’s Aśtra-Quest, and the Move to Kāmyaka

Devanagari script

कवची सतलत्राणो बद्धगोधाड्गुलित्रवान्‌ | ह॒त्वानिनें ब्राह्मणान्निष्कै: स्वस्ति वाच्य महाभुज:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | kavacī satalatrāṇo baddhagodhāṅgulitravān | hutvā ninye brāhmaṇān niṣkaiḥ svasti vācya mahābhujaḥ | dharmarājasya ājñayā devarāja-indra-darśana-kāmo dhanañjayo 'gnim āhutiṃ dadau | suvarṇa-niṣkān dakṣiṇāṃ dattvā brāhmaṇaiḥ svasti-vācanaṃ kārayāmāsa | gāṇḍīvaṃ dhanuḥ dvau ca mahāntau akṣayau tūṇīrau gṛhītvā kavacaṃ talatrāṇe ca dhṛtvā godhā-carma-kṛtam aṅgulitraṃ ca dhārayitvā | ūrdhvaṃ nirīkṣya dīrghaṃ niśvasya dhṛtarāṣṭra-putra-vadhāya dhanuḥ-pāṇir arjunaḥ tataḥ prasthitaḥ ||

Translation

കവചം ധരിച്ച്, പാദരക്ഷ (തലത്രാണം) അണിഞ്ഞ്, ഗോധാ-ചർമ്മത്തിൽ നിന്നുള്ള അങ്കുലിത്രം കെട്ടിയ മഹാബാഹു അഗ്നിയിൽ ആഹുതികൾ അർപ്പിച്ചു; നിഷ്കങ്ങൾ (സ്വർണ്ണമുദ്രകൾ) ദാനം നൽകി ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരാൽ സ്വസ്തിവാചനം ചെയ്യിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• कवची: wearing armor
• कवची: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कवचिन् (कवच)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सतलत्राणः: having foot-protectors (shoes/greaves)
• सतलत्राणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तलत्राण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्रवान्: wearing a finger-guard of tied iguana-hide
• बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्रवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्गुलित्रवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हत्वा: having slain / after killing
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• आनिन्ये: he brought / he led (here: he caused to be brought)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (आ-नी)
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• निष्कैः: with gold coins/neck-ornaments (as fees)
• निष्कैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्क
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• स्वस्ति: well-being; auspiciousness
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वस्ति

• वाच्य: to be recited (as a benediction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Gerundive (to be spoken/recited)

• महाभुजः: mighty-armed
• महाभुजः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभुज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna (Dhanañjaya)
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja)
• Indra (Devarāja)
• Agni (sacred fire)
• Brahmins
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons (Kauravas)
• Gāṇḍīva bow
• two inexhaustible quivers (akṣaya tūṇīra)
• armour (kavaca)
• footwear/foot-guards (talatrāṇa)
• finger-guard (aṅgulitra) made of iguana-hide (godhā-carma)
• gold coins (niṣka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage links action to dharma: Arjuna does not move on impulse but under Dharmarāja’s command, after performing proper rites, giving due honoraria, and seeking divine alignment (Indra-darśana). It presents disciplined preparation and accountability to legitimate authority as ethical framing for dangerous undertakings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates Arjuna’s departure: he performs fire-offerings, gives gold fees to Brahmins and receives auspicious blessings, arms himself with Gāṇḍīva and two inexhaustible quivers, dons armour and protective gear, looks upward and breathes deeply, then sets out with bow in hand, intent on the eventual destruction of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons.