Sauptika Parva Adhyaya 15 Shloka 35 - Mahabharata | Oriya | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 35

Brahmaśirastra-pratisaṃhāra — Retraction and redirection of the supreme weapon

Sauptika Parva, Adhyāya 15

Devanagari script

वैशग्पायन उवाच तत: परममस्त्र॑ तु द्रौणिरुद्यतमाहवे । द्वैधायनवच: श्रुत्वा गर्भेषु प्रमुमोच ह

Transliteration

Vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca: tataḥ paramam astraṃ tu drauṇir udyatam āhave | dvaidhāyana-vacaḥ śrutvā garbheṣu pramumoca ha ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ରାଜନ୍, ତା’ପରେ ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଉଦ୍ୟତ ଥିବା ସେଇ ପରମ ଦିବ୍ୟାସ୍ତ୍ରକୁ ଦ୍ରୋଣପୁତ୍ର, ଦ୍ୱୈଧାୟନ (ବ୍ୟାସ)ଙ୍କ ବଚନ ଶୁଣି, ପାଣ୍ଡବବଂଶର ଗର୍ଭସ୍ଥ ଭ୍ରୂଣମାନଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ହିଁ ଛାଡ଼ିଦେଲା।

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

ततःthen/thereupon

परमम्supreme, highest

अस्त्रम्weapon (missile)

तुbut/indeed

द्रौणिःDrauṇi (son of Droṇa, Aśvatthāman)

उद्यम्raised, lifted up

आहवेin battle

द्वैधायन-वचःthe word(s) of Dvaidhāyana (Vyāsa)

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

गर्भेषुin the embryos/wombs

प्रमुमोचreleased/let loose (sent forth)

हindeed (emphatic particle)

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman)

Dvaidhāyana (Vyāsa)

paramam astra (supreme weapon)

garbha (embryos in the wombs)

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 how vengeance can drive a warrior beyond the bounds of dharma: targeting the unborn is portrayed as an extreme moral transgression, turning war into an assault on the very continuity of life and lineage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aśvatthāman, in battle, releases a supreme weapon after hearing Vyāsa’s words; the weapon is directed toward the embryos in the wombs of the Pāṇḍava line, escalating the conflict from battlefield combat to an attempt at annihilating future heirs.