Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ततोअप्यस्त्रं दयितं देवराज्ञ: प्रादुश्षक्रे वज्मतिप्रभावम्‌ । गाण्डीवं ज्यां विशिखांश्चानुमन्त्रय धनंजय: शत्रुभिरप्रधृष्य:

Transliteration

tato 'py astraṃ dayitaṃ devarājñaḥ prāduś cakre vajramatiprabhāvam | gāṇḍīvaṃ jyāṃ viśikhāṃś cānumantrya dhanañjayaḥ śatrubhir apradhṛṣyaḥ ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ତଥାପି ଶତ୍ରୁମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଅପ୍ରଧର୍ଷ୍ୟ ଧନଞ୍ଜୟ ଦେବରାଜ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ପ୍ରିୟ, ବଜ୍ରସମ ଅତିପ୍ରଭାବଶାଳୀ ଅସ୍ତ୍ରକୁ ପ୍ରକଟ କଲେ। ଗାଣ୍ଡୀବ, ତାହାର ପ୍ରତ୍ୟଞ୍ଚା ଓ ବାଣମାନଙ୍କୁ ମନ୍ତ୍ରରେ ଅଭିମନ୍ତ୍ରିତ କରି ସେ ଦିବ୍ୟାସ୍ତ୍ରକୁ ଆବିର୍ଭାବ କରାଇଲେ।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas

• api: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api

• astram: weapon (missile)
• astram: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• dayitam: beloved, dear
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dayita
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• devarājñaḥ: of the king of gods (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devarājan
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• prāduścakre: manifested, brought forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• vajramati-prabhāvam: having thunderbolt-like power
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajramati-prabhāva
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• gāṇḍīvam: Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna's bow)
• gāṇḍīvam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāṇḍīva
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• jyām: bowstring
• jyām: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyā
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• viśikhān: arrows
• viśikhān: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśikha
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca

• anumantṛya: having consecrated/enchanted (with mantras)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-mantr
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada-usage

• dhanaṃjayaḥ: Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna)
• dhanaṃjayaḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanaṃjaya
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• śatrubhiḥ: by enemies
• śatrubhiḥ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• apradhṛṣyaḥ: unassailable, unconquerable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-pradhṛṣya
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Indra (Devarāja)
• Arjuna (Dhanañjaya)
• Gāṇḍīva (bow)
• jyā (bowstring)
• viśikha (arrows)
• vajra (thunderbolt imagery / Vajra-weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined power: even overwhelming force (a thunderbolt-like astra) is not mere violence but a controlled, mantra-governed act used to counter an enemy’s advantage and re-establish rightful order in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of battlefield confusion and hostile conditions, Arjuna empowers his bow, string, and arrows with mantras and then manifests a mighty divine weapon associated with Indra, signaling a decisive countermeasure against the enemy’s tactics.