Shloka 31

Nārāyaṇāstra-utpātaḥ — Aśvatthāman’s Rallying Roar after Droṇa’s Fall (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६७)

Devanagari script

तस्य शक्तिममेयात्मा पाण्डवो भुजगोपमाम्‌ | चिक्षेप भरतश्रेष्ठ रथे न्यस्य महद्‌ धनु:,भरतश्रेष्ठ तब अमेय आत्मबलसे सम्पन्न पाण्डुनन्दन युधिष्ठिरने अपने विशाल धनुषको रथपर रखकर कृतवर्मापर एक सर्पाकार शक्ति चलायी

Transliteration

tasya śaktim ameyātmā pāṇḍavo bhujagopamām | cikṣepa bharataśreṣṭha rathe nyasya mahad dhanuḥ ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ହେ ଭରତଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ! ତେବେ ଅମେୟ ଆତ୍ମବଳସମ୍ପନ୍ନ ପାଣ୍ଡବ (ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର) ନିଜ ମହାଧନୁକୁ ରଥରେ ରଖି, ସର୍ପସଦୃଶ ଶକ୍ତି-ଅସ୍ତ୍ର ତାହାର ଉପରେ ନିକ୍ଷେପ କଲେ।

Word by Word

तस्यof him/that (of that one)

शक्तिम्a spear/weapon (śakti)

अमेयात्माof immeasurable nature/strength

पाण्डवःthe Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)

भुजगोपमाम्snake-like (comparable to a serpent)

चिक्षेपthrew/cast

भरतश्रेष्ठO best of the Bharatas

रथेon/in the chariot

न्यस्यhaving placed/setting down

महत्great/huge

धनुःbow

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by vocative bharataśreṣṭha)

Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira, per provided context)

Śakti (spear-weapon)

Chariot

Bow

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?

The verse highlights the grave moral weight of martial choice: in a dharma-war setting, a warrior’s resolve can shift from standard combat (bow) to a more decisive weapon (śakti), underscoring how intention and consequence intensify together.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍava (understood here as Yudhiṣṭhira) sets his large bow on the chariot and hurls a serpent-like spear-weapon at his opponent, marking a sharp, dangerous turn in the immediate combat.