Shloka 50

Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra

Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance

Devanagari script

नानावर्णविचित्राणि धनूंषि च महात्मनाम्‌ | विस्फारितानि दृश्यन्ते तोयदेष्विव विद्युत:,इन महामना वीरोंके फैलाये हुए अनेक रूपरंगके विचित्र धनुष बादलोंमें बिजलियोंके समान दृष्टिगोचर हो रहे थे

Transliteration

nānāvarṇavicitrāṇi dhanūṃṣi ca mahātmanām | visphāritāni dṛśyante toyadeṣv iva vidyutaḥ ||

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు—ఆ మహాత్మ వీరుల నానావర్ణ విచిత్ర ధనుస్సులు విస్తరించి (తీగలు లాగి) పట్టబడినప్పుడు, వర్షమేఘాలలో మెరుపుల్లా దర్శనమిచ్చాయి।

Word by Word

• नाना-वर्ण-विचित्राणि: variegated with many colors
• नाना-वर्ण-विचित्राणि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नानावर्णविचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• धनूंषि: bows
• धनूंषि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

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

• महात्मनाम्: of the great-souled (heroes)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• विस्फारितानि: stretched/drawn (wide)
• विस्फारितानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-स्फारि-त (कृदन्त; √स्फार्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen/appear
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada (passive sense), Third, Plural

• तोयदेषु: in the clouds (rain-givers)
• तोयदेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोयद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

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

• विद्युतः: lightnings
• विद्युतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• bows (dhanus)
• rain-clouds (toyada)
• lightning (vidyut)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the solemn readiness of great warriors: their power is portrayed through a natural simile (lightning in clouds), suggesting that martial strength, when aligned with kṣatriya duty, becomes an awe-inspiring force—yet also a portent of imminent destruction, urging ethical seriousness about war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield scene to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: the warriors’ bows are fully drawn and gleam in many colors, appearing like lightning within rain-clouds, signaling that combat is about to intensify.