Shloka 12

Chapter 14: Divyāstra-Prayoga and Ṛṣi Intervention (दिव्यास्त्रप्रयोगः ऋषिसमागमश्च)

Devanagari script

उभौ शमयितुं वीरौ भारद्वाजधनंजयौ,सम्पूर्ण धर्मोके ज्ञाता तथा समस्त प्राणियोंके हितैषी वे दोनों परम तेजस्वी मुनि अश्वत्थामा और अर्जुन--इन दोनों वीरोंको शान्त करनेके लिये इनके प्रज्वलित अस्त्रोंके बीचमें खड़े हो गये

Transliteration

ubhau śamayituṁ vīrau bhāradvāja-dhanañjayau, sampūrṇa-dharmau jñātārau tathā samasta-prāṇināṁ hitaiṣiṇau; tau dvau parama-tejasvī munī aśvatthāmā arjunaś ca—etau vīrau śāntayituṁ tayoḥ prajvalitāstrayoḥ madhye sthitau.

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: Untuk mendamaikan dua wira itu—putera Bhāradvāja (Aśvatthāmā) dan Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)—dua orang resi yang amat bercahaya, teguh dalam dharma, tajam pertimbangannya, serta mengutamakan kebajikan semua makhluk, berdiri di antara senjata mereka yang sedang menyala dan siap digunakan, demi menahan pertikaian sebelum membawa kebinasaan yang lebih luas.

Word by Word

उभौboth

शमयितुम्to pacify, to calm

वीरौtwo heroes

भारद्वाजधनंजयौBhāradvāja (Aśvatthāman) and Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)

सम्पूर्णःcomplete, perfect

धर्मज्ञःknower of dharma

तथाand, likewise

समस्तप्राणिहितैषीwell-wisher of all living beings

वेthose two

द्वौtwo

परमतेजस्वीsupremely radiant/powerful

मुनिsages

अश्वत्थामाAśvatthāman

अर्जुनःArjuna

एतयोःof these two

वीरयोःof the two heroes

शान्तिंpeace, pacification

कर्तुम्to do, to make

प्रज्वलितास्त्रयोःof the two blazing missiles/weapons

मध्येin the middle

स्थितौstood, stationed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Aśvatthāmā

Arjuna (Dhanañjaya)

Bhāradvāja

Astra (blazing weapons)

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?

Even in the aftermath of catastrophe, dharma expresses itself as restraint: those who truly seek the welfare of all beings intervene to prevent escalation, placing ethical responsibility above victory or vengeance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aśvatthāmā and Arjuna are poised with blazing, empowered weapons against each other. Two dharma-knowing sages step between them to calm both warriors and avert a destructive exchange.