Shloka 15

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 19 — Saṃśaptaka–Trigarta Assault and Aindra-astra Counter

Devanagari script

मुष्टिश्लिष्टायतज्यं च व्यायताभ्यां महद्‌ धनु: । दोर्भ्या विस्फारयन्‌ भासि महाजलदवद्‌ भशम्‌

Transliteration

muṣṭiśliṣṭāyatajyāṃ ca vyāyatābhyāṃ mahad dhanuḥ | dorbhyāṃ visphārayan bhāsi mahājaladavad bhṛśam ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—“ତୁମ ଧନୁଷର ପ୍ରତ୍ୟଞ୍ଚା ଏକାଥରେ ତୁମ ମୁଷ୍ଟିରେ ଲଗା ଥିବା ପରି ମଧ୍ୟ ଦିଶେ, ଏବଂ ବିଶାଳ ବକ୍ରରେ ଟାଣି ହୋଇଥିବା ପରି ମଧ୍ୟ। ଯେତେବେଳେ ତୁମେ ଦୁଇ ମହାବାହୁଦ୍ୱାରା ସେଇ ମହାଧନୁଷକୁ ଟାଣି ତାହାର ଟଙ୍କାର ଗୁଞ୍ଜାଅ, ସେତେବେଳେ ତୁମେ ମହାମେଘ ସମ ଦୀପ୍ତିମାନ ଶୋଭାରେ ଉଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳ ହୁଅ।”

Word by Word

• मुष्टि-श्लिष्ट-आयत-ज्यं: having a bowstring pressed by the fist and stretched out
• मुष्टि-श्लिष्ट-आयत-ज्यं: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुष्टि + श्लिष्ट (√श्लिष्) + आयत (√यम्) + ज्या
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• व्यायताभ्याम्: with (your) outstretched (arms) / by the two extended (ones)
• व्यायताभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यायत (√यम्)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• महत्: great, huge
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दोर्भ्याम्: with (your) two arms
• दोर्भ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोर्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Dual

• विस्फारयन्: stretching, drawing (it) wide
• विस्फारयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √स्फुर्/√स्फार् (causative sense)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भासि: you shine, you appear splendid
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भास्
• Form: Present, 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महा-जलद-वत्: like a great cloud
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: महा + जलद + वत्

• भशम्: splendour, radiance (reading uncertain due to textual corruption)
• भशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भश (uncertain; likely intended भासम्/भासं or भासम् from √भास्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• bowstring (jyā)
• great cloud/rain-cloud (mahājalada)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how disciplined strength and mastery of one’s weapon can appear as awe-inspiring beauty; in the epic’s ethical frame, such power is morally weighty and must be governed by dharma, since splendor in battle is not itself a guarantee of righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya vividly describes a warrior’s archery: the bowstring seems simultaneously gripped in the fist and stretched in a curve, and as the warrior draws and makes the great bow thunder, his presence becomes formidable and radiant like a massive rain-cloud.