Shloka 43

Śiva-stavarāja: Upamanyu’s Preface and Initiation of the Śarva-Nāma Enumeration

Anuśāsana-parva 17

Devanagari script

कमण्डलुधरो धन्वी बाणहस्त: कपालवान्‌ । अशनी शतघ्नी खड्गी पट्टिशी चायुधी महान्‌

Transliteration

kamaṇḍaludharo dhanvī bāṇahastaḥ kapālavān | aśanī śataghnī khaḍgī paṭṭiśī cāyudhī mahān ||

Translation

वायुरुवाच—कमण्डलुधरो धन्वी बाणहस्तः कपालवान्। अशनी शतघ्नी खड्गी पट्टिशी चायुधी महान्॥

Word by Word

• कमण्डलुधरः: bearing a water-pot (kamaṇḍalu)
• कमण्डलुधरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कमण्डलु-धर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धन्वी: bow-bearing, archer
• धन्वी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बाणहस्तः: having an arrow in (his) hand
• बाणहस्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाण-हस्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कपालवान्: skull-bearing
• कपालवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपालवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अशनी: bearing a thunderbolt (vajra)
• अशनी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशनिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शतघ्नी: bearing a śataghnī weapon
• शतघ्नी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शतघ्निन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• खड्गी: sword-bearing
• खड्गी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खड्गिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पट्टिशी: bearing a battle-axe (paṭṭiśa)
• पट्टिशी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पट्टिशिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• आयुधी: armed, weapon-bearing
• आयुधी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयुधिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महान्: great, mighty
• महान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu-deva
• kamaṇḍalu
• bow (dhanus)
• arrow (bāṇa)
• skull-bowl (kapāla)
• thunderbolt (aśanī/vajra)
• śataghnī
• sword (khaḍga)
• paṭṭiśa
• trident (triśūla)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse juxtaposes ascetic insignia (kamaṇḍalu, kapāla) with formidable weapons, suggesting an ideal of power governed by restraint: spiritual authority and martial capability are to be integrated under dharma, not driven by mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva describes a mighty figure’s appearance by listing the many items and weapons he bears, emphasizing both awe-inspiring martial readiness and ascetic/ritual markers, thereby portraying a supreme, multi-aspected protector.