Shloka 3
Uttara–Arjuna Saṃvāda and the Re-Arming of Gāṇḍīva
Virāṭa-parva, Adhyāya 40
(नैभि: काममलं कर्तु कर्म वैजयिकं त्विह । अतिसूक्ष्माणि हस्वानि सर्वाणि च मृदूनि च । आयुधानि महाबाहो तवैतानि परंतप ।।) तस्माद् भूमिंजयारोह शमीमेतां पलाशिनीम्,'शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले महाबाहु उत्तर! तुम्हारे ये सभी अस्त्र-शस्त्र अत्यन्त सूक्ष्म, छोटे और कोमल हैं। इनके द्वारा यहाँ विजय दिलानेवाला पराक्रम नहीं किया जा सकता। इसलिये भूमिंजय! पत्तोंसे सुशोभित इस शमीवृक्षपर शीघ्र चढ़ जाओ
vaiśampāyana uvāca | naibhiḥ kāmam alaṃ kartuṃ karma vaijayikaṃ tv iha | atisūkṣmāṇi hrasvāni sarvāṇi ca mṛdūni ca | āyudhāni mahābāho tavaitāni paraṃtapa || tasmād bhūmiṃjaya āroha śamīm etāṃ palāśinīm |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Dengan senjata-senjata ini, engkau tidak dapat melaksanakan di sini perbuatan yang membawa kemenangan seperti yang engkau kehendaki. Senjatamu, wahai yang berlengan perkasa, pembakar musuh, semuanya terlalu halus, kecil, dan lembut. Maka, wahai Bhūmiṃjaya, segeralah panjat pohon śamī yang rimbun berdaun ini.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Victory requires appropriate means and clear judgment: delicate or unsuitable tools cannot achieve a decisive martial objective. The verse underscores practical discernment (yukti) aligned with a kṣatriya’s duty—choosing effective instruments rather than relying on wishful intent.
In the Virāṭa episode, Uttara is being directed regarding weapons: the arms at hand are described as too fine, small, and soft to secure victory in the present conflict. He is therefore instructed to climb a leafy śamī tree—contextually tied to retrieving or accessing proper weapons concealed there.