Shloka 18

शमीवृक्षस्थायुधप्रकाशनम् / Revelation and Identification of the Weapons on the Śamī Tree

Devanagari script

सो5हमेको बहून्‌ बाल: कृतास्त्रानकृतश्रम: । प्रतियोद्धुं न शक्ष्यामि निवर्तस्व बृहन्नले,“बृहन्नले! मेरे पिता सूने नगरमें उसकी रक्षाके लिये मुझे अकेला रखकर स्वयं सारी सेना साथ ले त्रिगर्तोंसे युद्ध करनेके लिये गये हैं। मेरे पास यहाँ कोई सैनिक नहीं है। मैं अकेला बालक हूँ और मैंने अस्त्रविद्यामें अभी अधिक परिश्रम भी नहीं किया है। ऐसी दशामें अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंके ज्ञाता और प्रौढ़ अवस्थावाले इन बहुसंख्यक कौरवोंका सामना मैं नहीं कर सकूँगा। अतः तुम रथ लेकर लौट चलो”

Transliteration

so’ham eko bahūn bālaḥ kṛtāstrān akṛtaśramaḥ | pratiyoddhuṁ na śakṣyāmi nivartasva bṛhannale ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు అన్నాడు— “నేను ఒక్కడినే—కేవలం బాలుడిని. అస్త్రవిద్య నేర్చుకున్నాను గానీ, కఠిన సాధనశ్రమ ఇంకా పూర్తిగా చేయలేదు. ఈ అనేక మంది ప్రౌఢ యోధులను ఎదుర్కొని యుద్ధం చేయలేను. కాబట్టి, ఓ బృహన్నలే, తిరిగి మళ్లుము.”

Word by Word

सःI (that one, i.e., I myself)

अहम्I

एकःalone, single

बहून्many

बालःa boy, child

कृतास्त्रान्those trained/armed (skilled in weapons)

अकृतश्रमःone who has not exerted (not well-practised)

प्रतियोद्धुम्to fight against, to oppose in battle

नnot

शक्ष्यामिI will be able

निवर्तस्वturn back, return

बृहन्नलेO Brihannalā

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bṛhannalā

Kauravas (implied by ‘many warriors’ in context)

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?

The verse highlights honest self-assessment and the ethical weight of warfare: mere theoretical knowledge of arms is not the same as disciplined readiness. It frames fear not as moral failure but as a realistic recognition of one’s limits, setting the stage for guidance by a more capable protector.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Virāṭa episode, the young prince (Uttara, speaking through Vaiśampāyana’s narration) faces the prospect of confronting numerous experienced Kaurava warriors. Acknowledging his youth and insufficient practice, he tells Bṛhannalā (Arjuna in disguise) to turn the chariot back rather than engage.