Shloka 24

Adhyāya 61: Saṃmohana-astra and the Kuru Withdrawal (संमोहनास्त्रं तथा कुरुनिवृत्तिः)

Devanagari script

असम्भ्रान्तो रथे तिष्ठ समेषु विषमेषु च । दिवमावृत्य तिष्ठन्तं गिरिं भिन्‍्द्यां सम पत्रिभि:

Transliteration

asambhrānto rathe tiṣṭha sameṣu viṣameṣu ca | divam āvṛtya tiṣṭhantaṃ giriṃ bhindyāṃ sama-patribhiḥ ||

Translation

భూమి సమమైనా అసమమైనా— రథంపై మనస్సు చలించకుండా స్థిరంగా నిలువు. సమాన రెక్కలతో, సరిగ్గా లక్ష్యాన్ని తాకే బాణాలతో ఆకాశాన్ని కప్పినట్లు నిలిచిన పర్వతాన్నికూడా నీవు ఛేదించగలవు.

Word by Word

• असम्भ्रान्तः: unconfused, unshaken
• असम्भ्रान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असम्भ्रान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथे: in the chariot
• रथे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तिष्ठ: stand; remain
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (तिष्ठति)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular

• समेषु: on level (grounds)
• समेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• विषमेषु: on uneven (grounds)
• विषमेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

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

• दिवम्: the sky; heaven
• दिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (दिव)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आवृत्य: having covered; enveloping
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√वृ (वृणोति/वर्तते) → आवृत्य
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada (gerund, voice-neutral)

• तिष्ठन्तम्: standing; remaining
• तिष्ठन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (तिष्ठत्)
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गिरिम्: mountain
• गिरिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भिन्द्याम्: I would split; I could pierce
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: Optative (Potential), First, Singular

• सम्: together; completely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्

• पत्रिभिः: with arrows (lit. feathered ones)
• पत्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• ratha (chariot)
• giri (mountain)
• diva (sky/heaven)
• patra (arrow-feathers/fletching)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Maintain inner steadiness and disciplined focus amid changing conditions; true martial excellence depends on composure and precision, not on favorable terrain.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator frames an exhortation in a martial context: the warrior is urged to remain unshaken on the chariot over both smooth and rough ground, and is praised/encouraged toward such mastery that even a sky-high mountain could be pierced with well-balanced arrows.