Shloka 8

Kurukṣetra-sainyadarśana and Arjuna-viṣāda (धर्मक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः — अर्जुनविषाद)

Devanagari script

महिषास्‌क्प्रिये नित्यं कौशिकि पीतवासिनि । अट्टहासे कोकमुखे नमस्ते<स्तु रणप्रिये

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | mahiṣāsura-priye nityaṁ kauśiki pīta-vāsini | aṭṭahāse kokamukhe namas te 'stu raṇa-priye ||

Translation

Арджуна сказал: «О ты, вечно радующаяся гибели Махишасуры, о Каушики, облачённая в жёлтые одежды! Когда при виде врагов ты разражаешься громким смехом, лик твой пылает, как красноватая птица чакравака. О любящая битву, тебе я вновь и вновь воздаю поклон.»

Word by Word

• महिषासुरप्रिये: O one dear (for slaying) Mahishasura / O Mahishasura-beloved (epithet)
• महिषासुरप्रिये: Sambodhana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महिषासुरप्रिय
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• कौशिकि: O Kaushiki
• कौशिकि: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिकी
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• पीतवासिनि: O wearer of yellow garments
• पीतवासिनि: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीतवासिनी
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• अट्टहासे: in (your) loud laughter
• अट्टहासे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अट्टहास
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कोकमुखे: O one whose face is like a chakravaka (kokā) bird
• कोकमुखे: Sambodhana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोकमुख
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस्

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• अस्तु: let it be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (भू)
• Form: Imperative (Vidhi-lin/Loṭ), 3rd, Singular

• रणप्रिये: O battle-loving one
• रणप्रिये: Sambodhana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रणप्रिय
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Kauśikī (Goddess/Durgā)
• Mahiṣāsura
• koka/cakravāka (bird, as simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Before entering a righteous but perilous conflict, Arjuna grounds himself in humility and devotion, acknowledging that victory and protection ultimately depend on divine support aligned with dharma, not merely personal prowess.

What is happening in the narrative?

On the eve of battle in the Bhīṣma Parva, Arjuna offers a praise-prayer to the Goddess (Kauśikī/Durgā), describing her martial radiance and her triumph over Mahiṣāsura, and repeatedly saluting her as a battle-loving protector.