Shloka 12

भीष्म–रामजामदग्न्ययुद्धप्रस्थानवर्णनम्

Bhishma’s Account of Parashurama’s Challenge and the March to Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

ततो5हमस्त्रमाग्नेयमनुमन्त्र्य प्रयुक्तवान्‌ । वारुणेनैव तद्‌ रामो वारयामास मे विभु:

Transliteration

tato 'ham astram āgneyam anumantrya prayuktavān | vāruṇenaiva tad rāmo vārayāmāsa me vibhuḥ ||

Translation

ତାପରେ ମୁଁ ମନ୍ତ୍ରଦ୍ୱାରା ଅଭିମନ୍ତ୍ରିତ କରି ଆଗ୍ନେୟାସ୍ତ୍ର ପ୍ରୟୋଗ କଲି; କିନ୍ତୁ ସର୍ବଶକ୍ତିମାନ ରାମ (ପରଶୁରାମ) ବାରୁଣାସ୍ତ୍ର ଦ୍ୱାରା ତାହାକୁ ସେଠାରେଇ ରୋକିଦେଲେ।

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: common, nominative, singular

• अस्त्रम्: weapon (missile)
• अस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• आग्नेयम्: fiery; of Agni (Agneya)
• आग्नेयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आग्नेय
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अनुमन्त्र्य: having invoked/recited (the mantra) over it
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + मन्त्र्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage)

• प्रयुक्तवान्: used; discharged
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + युज्
• Form: क्तवतुँ (past active participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• वारुणेन: with the Varuṇa-weapon (water-missile)
• वारुणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारुण
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• एव: indeed; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तत्: that (weapon/that one)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• रामः: Rāma (Paraśurāma)
• रामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• वारयामास: checked; warded off; restrained
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वारयति) / वारय् (causative stem)
• Form: perfect (periphrastic perfect), third, singular, parasmaipada

• मे: my; of me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: common, genitive, singular

• विभुः: the mighty one; the lord
• विभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Rāma (Paraśurāma)
• Agneyāstra
• Vāruṇāstra
• Agni
• Varuṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined use of power: even formidable force (fire-weapon) is ethically and tactically bounded by higher mastery and appropriate countermeasures (water-weapon), implying that true strength includes restraint and control.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that he launched the Agneyāstra after mantra-consecration, but Paraśurāma immediately neutralized it by deploying the Vāruṇāstra, demonstrating his superior command over celestial weapons in their confrontation.