Shloka 17

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 54 — Missile-Exchange and Tactical Redirection

Arjuna, Aśvatthāman, Karṇa

Devanagari script

प्रकीर्णपर्णानि यथा वसन्ते विशातयित्वा पवनोअथ्बुदांश्ष

Transliteration

prakīrṇaparṇāni yathā vasante viśātayitvā pavano 'thbudāṁśṣ

Translation

ଯେପରି ବସନ୍ତକାଳେ ପବନ ପଡ଼ିଥିବା ପତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କୁ ଛିଟାଇ ଚୁର୍ଣ୍ଣବିଚୁର୍ଣ୍ଣ କରେ, ସେପରି ଏଠାରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ପ୍ରବଳ ଶକ୍ତିର ଆଘାତରେ ସବୁକିଛି ଭାଙ୍ଗି ଛିଟିଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• प्रकीर्णपर्णानि: scattered leaves
• प्रकीर्णपर्णानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकीर्णपर्ण (प्रकीर्ण + पर्ण)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वसन्ते: in spring
• वसन्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• विशातयित्वा: having scattered/strewn about
• Type: Verb
• Root: शातय् (शातयति)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada (causative sense), Non-finite

• पवनः: the wind
• पवनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then, and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• बुदांश्ष: rays/gleams (lit. portions of light)
• बुदांश्ष: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुदांशु (बुद + अंशु)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• wind (pavana)
• leaves (parṇa)
• spring (vasanta)
• clouds (ambuda)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses a nature-simile to highlight how quickly circumstances can be scattered and disrupted by stronger forces; ethically, it encourages composure, vigilance, and adherence to dharma even when events turn suddenly.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates with a vivid comparison—wind shredding scattered leaves in spring—to describe a situation of rapid dispersal or upheaval, setting the tone for swift changes in the unfolding events.