Shloka 26

और्वोपाख्यानम्

Aurva Episode: Restoration of Sight and Restraint of World-Destructive Anger

Devanagari script

उल्मुकं भ्रामयंस्तूर्ण पाण्डवश्नर्म चोत्तरम्‌ । व्यपोहत शरांस्तस्य स्वानिव धनंजय:,यह देख पाण्डुनन्दन धनंजयने तुरंत ही मशाल घुमाकर और उत्तम ढालसे रोककर उसके सभी बाण व्यर्थ कर दिये

Transliteration

ulmukaṃ bhrāmayaṃs tūrṇaṃ pāṇḍavaśarma cottaram | vyapohata śarāṃs tasya svān iva dhanaṃjayaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: «Vendo isso, Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna), o nobre filho de Pāṇḍu, girou rapidamente um tição em brasa e, com um excelente escudo, rechaçou todas as flechas do adversário, tornando-as inúteis.»

Word by Word

• उल्मुकम्: firebrand/torch
• उल्मुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उल्मुक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भ्रामयन्: whirling/causing to whirl
• भ्रामयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• तूर्णम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्ण

• पाण्डवशर्म: Pāṇḍava's shield (named Pāṇḍavaśarman)
• पाण्डवशर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डवशर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• उत्तमम्: excellent/best
• उत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• व्यपोहत: warded off/drove away
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + वह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तस्य: of him/of that (warrior)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• स्वान्: his own
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• धनंजयः: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna)
• Pāṇḍu
• Pāṇḍava (Arjuna as Pāṇḍu’s son)
• ulmuka (firebrand/torch)
• shield
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined restraint and protective skill in conflict: true prowess is shown by preventing harm—calmly neutralizing incoming danger—rather than by uncontrolled aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna (Dhanaṃjaya) rapidly whirls a firebrand and uses an excellent shield to repel an opponent’s volley of arrows, making them ineffective.