Shloka 11

अर्जुनस्य लक्ष्यवेधः

Arjuna’s Hitting of the Target at the Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

इच्छन्नपचितिं कर्तु भूगूणां भूगुनन्दन: । सर्वलोकविनाशाय तपसा महतैधित:,भगुकुलको आनन्दित करनेवाले उस कुमारने (क्षत्रियोंद्वारा मारे गये) अपने भृगुवंशी पूर्वजोंका सम्मान करने (अथवा उनके वधका बदला लेने)-के लिये सब लोकोंके विनाशका निश्चय किया और बहुत बड़ी तपस्याद्वारा अपनी शक्तिको बढ़ाया

Transliteration

icchann apacitiṁ kartuṁ bhṛgūṇāṁ bhṛgunandanaḥ | sarvalokavināśāya tapasā mahataidhitaḥ ||

Translation

กุมารผู้เป็นความปีติแห่งวงศ์ภฤคุนั้น ปรารถนาจะถวายเกียรติและชดใช้แก่เหล่าภฤคุให้สมควร จึงตั้งปณิธานทำลายโลกทั้งปวง และด้วยตบะอันยิ่งใหญ่ได้เพิ่มพูนฤทธิ์เดชของตนอย่างมหาศาล

Word by Word

इच्छन्wishing, desiring

अपचितिम्reverence, honoring (repayment of respect)

कर्तुम्to do, to perform

भृगूणाम्of the Bhṛgus

भृगुनन्दनःthe delight/son of Bhṛgu (Bhārgava)

सर्वलोकविनाशायfor the destruction of all worlds

तपसाby austerity

महतāgreat, mighty

एधितःgrown, increased, strengthened

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वसिष्ठ (Vasiṣṭha)

भ

भृगु (Bhṛgu)

भ

भृगवः/भृगूणाम् (the Bhṛgu lineage)

भ

भृगुनन्दन (Bhṛgunandana—Paraśurāma)

स

सर्वलोक (all worlds/peoples)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that even a motive framed as honoring ancestors (apaciti) can become ethically dangerous when it turns into totalizing revenge. Tapas amplifies intention; when the intention is destructive, spiritual power risks becoming a force against dharma and the welfare of the world.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha describes the Bhṛgu-descended hero (Paraśurāma) undertaking severe austerities to increase his power, driven by a desire to repay the Bhṛgus—interpreted as honoring slain ancestors and/or avenging their killing—leading him toward a vow of widespread destruction.