Shloka 25

Adhyāya 168: Arjuna’s counters to māyā-rains and the onset of darkness

Nivātakavaca engagement

Devanagari script

ततो गिरिमिवात्यर्थमावृणोन्मां महाशरै: । तं॑ चाहं शरवर्षेण महता समवाकिरम्‌

Transliteration

tato girim ivātyartham āvṛṇon māṃ mahāśaraiḥ | taṃ cāhaṃ śaravarṣeṇa mahatā samavākiram ||

Translation

ତା’ପରେ ସେ ମହାବାଣର ବର୍ଷାରେ ମୋତେ ଏମିତି ଢାକିଦେଲା, ଯେନେ ପର୍ବତକୁ ଘନଘୋର ବର୍ଷା ଆବୃତ କରିଛି। ତାହାର ପ୍ରତିଉତ୍ତରରେ ମୁଁ ମଧ୍ୟ ମହା ବାଣବର୍ଷାରେ ତାକୁ ସବୁଦିଗରୁ ଆଛାଦିତ କଲି।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb)

• गिरिम्: mountain
• गिरिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• इव: like/as
• इव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: indeclinable

• अत्यर्थम्: excessively, greatly
• अत्यर्थम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यर्थ
• Form: indeclinable (adverbial accusative)

• आवृणोत्: covered/enveloped
• आवृणोत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√वृ (वृणोति)
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: pronoun, accusative, singular

• महाशरैः: with great arrows
• महाशरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाशर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable

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

• शरवर्षेण: with a rain/shower of arrows
• शरवर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• महता: great, mighty
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• समवाकिरम्: I showered/covered (him) all over
• समवाकिरम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अव-√कॄ (किरति/किर्)
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), parasmaipada, 1st person, singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• arrows (śara)
• mountain (giri)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of steadfastness under attack: when overwhelmed, one does not collapse but responds with disciplined strength, matching aggression without losing composure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna describes an exchange of missile-fire: his opponent blankets him with a dense volley of powerful arrows, and Arjuna counters by covering the opponent with an equally heavy rain of arrows.