Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच शुचिर्भूत्वा महाबाहो संग्रामाभिमुखे स्थित: । पराजयाय शत्रूणां दुर्गास्तोत्रमुदीरय,श्रीभगवान्‌ बोले--महाबाहो! तुम युद्धके सम्मुख खड़े हो। पवित्र होकर शत्रुओंको पराजित करनेके लिये दुर्गा देवीकी स्तुति करो

Transliteration

śrībhagavān uvāca śucir bhūtvā mahābāho saṅgrāmābhimukhe sthitaḥ | parājayāya śatrūṇāṃ durgāstotram udīraya ||

Translation

ஸ்ரீபகவான் கூறினார்—மகாபாஹோ! நீ போர்க்களத்தின் முன் நின்றுள்ளாய்; முதலில் புறமும் அகமும் தூய்மையடைந்து, பின்னர் பகைவரைத் தோற்கடிக்கத் தேவியான துர்கையின் ஸ்தோத்திரத்தை உரை.

Word by Word

श्रीभगवान्the Blessed Lord

उवाचsaid

शुचिःpure

भूत्वाhaving become

महाबाहोO mighty-armed one

संग्रामाभिमुखेfacing the battle (in the battle-front)

स्थितःstanding/placed

पराजयायfor the defeat

शत्रूणाम्of the enemies

दुर्गास्तोत्रम्the hymn to Durga

उदीरयutter/recite

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Bhagavān (the Blessed Lord)

Mahābāhu (the mighty-armed warrior, i.e., Arjuna by epithet)

Durgā (Goddess Durgā)

Śatravaḥ (enemies)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Before engaging in righteous but perilous action like war, one should cultivate purity and composure and seek divine support through devotion; victory is framed not merely as force, but as disciplined action aligned with dharma and sanctified intention.

What is happening in the narrative?

On the eve of combat, the speaker instructs the heroic warrior standing before the battle to purify himself and recite a hymn to Goddess Durgā, invoking her protection and aid for the defeat of opposing forces.