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Shloka 1

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 42 — Duryodhana’s counsel to Bhīṣma on ajñātavāsa risk and raid strategy

Devanagari script

८-० #++० (0) अत हा द्विचत्वारिशोड ध्याय: उत्तरका बृहन्नलासे पाण्डवोंके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंके विषयमें प्रश्न करना उत्तर उवाच बिन्दवो जातरूपस्य शतं यस्मिन्‌ निपातिता: । सहस्रकोटिसौवर्णा: कस्यैतद्‌ धनुरुत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

uttara uvāca | bindavo jātarūpasya śataṁ yasmin nipātitāḥ | sahasrakoṭisauvarṇāḥ kasyaitad dhanur uttamam ||

Translation

ఉత్తరుడు పలికెను—“ఓ బృహన్నలా! ఈ ఉత్తమ ధనుస్సుపై కరిగిన బంగారపు వంద బిందువులు అమర్చబడ్డాయి; వేల కోట్లు విలువైన స్వర్ణాభరణాలతో ఇది అలంకరింపబడింది—ఈ శ్రేష్ఠ ధనుస్సు ఎవరిది?”

Word by Word

बिन्दवःdrops (globules)

जातरूपस्यof gold

शतम्a hundred

यस्मिन्in which

निपातिताःhave been placed/laid down

सहस्रकोटिसौवर्णाःworth thousands of crores of gold (coins)

कस्यof whom/whose

एतत्this

धनुःbow

उत्तमम्excellent, best

Speaker

उत्तर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Uttara

excellent bow (dhanus)

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 discernment and respectful inquiry: Uttara recognizes extraordinary craftsmanship and value, prompting him to ask about rightful ownership—an ethical impulse to know provenance before use, especially regarding weapons.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Virāṭa Parva, Uttara (the prince) notices a magnificent, gold-adorned bow and questions whose weapon it is—setting up the revelation and use of the Pāṇḍavas’ concealed arms in the ensuing conflict.