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Shloka 21

The Birth of Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Prophecies of His Greatness

धन्विनामग्रणीरेष तुल्यश्चार्जुनयोर्द्वयो: । हुताश इव दुर्धर्ष: समुद्र इव दुस्तर: ॥ २१ ॥

dhanvinām agraṇīr eṣa tulyaś cārjunayor dvayoḥ hutāśa iva durdharṣaḥ samudra iva dustaraḥ

Sa mga dakilang mamamana, ang batang ito ang mangunguna, kapantay ng dalawang Arjuna. Siya’y magiging di-mapipigil gaya ng apoy at di-malalampasan gaya ng karagatan.

dhanvināmof archers
dhanvinām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/among whom)
TypeNoun
Rootdhanvin (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)
agraṇīḥleader
agraṇīḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
TypeNoun
Rootagraṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
eṣaḥthis (one)
eṣaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootetad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
tulyaḥequal
tulyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Roottulya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying eṣaḥ
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)
arjunayoḥof the two Arjunas
arjunayoḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/standard of comparison)
TypeNoun
Rootarjuna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Dual (द्विवचन)
dvayoḥof the two
dvayoḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/apposition)
TypeAdjective
Rootdvi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNumeral adjective (संख्यावाचक), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Dual (द्विवचन); apposition to arjunayoḥ
hutāśaḥfire
hutāśaḥ:
Upamāna (उपमान)
TypeNoun
Roothutāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
ivalike
iva:
Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiva (अव्यय)
FormSimile particle (उपमावाचक अव्यय)
durdharṣaḥhard to assail
durdharṣaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootdur-dharṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); नञ्/उपसर्ग-पूर्वक तत्पुरुष: dur + dharṣa (hard to be attacked/overpowered)
samudraḥocean
samudraḥ:
Upamāna (उपमान)
TypeNoun
Rootsamudra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
ivalike
iva:
Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiva (अव्यय)
FormSimile particle (उपमावाचक अव्यय)
dustaraḥhard to cross
dustaraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootdus-tara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: dus + tara (hard to cross)

In history there are two Arjunas. One is Kārtavīrya Arjuna, the King of Haihaya, and the other is the grandfather of the child. Both the Arjunas are famous for their bowmanship, and the child Parīkṣit is foretold to be equal to both of them, particularly in fighting. A short description of the Pāṇḍava Arjuna is given below:

P
Parīkṣit Mahārāja
A
Arjuna
K
Kṛṣṇa (as Arjuna)
P
Pāṇḍavas

FAQs

This verse praises Parīkṣit as the foremost of archers, equal to the two Arjunas, and describes his power and steadfastness with the metaphors of fire (unconquerable) and the ocean (hard to cross).

In the narrative describing Parīkṣit’s birth and future greatness, he is compared to Arjuna(s) to indicate that he would inherit and embody the heroic prowess and protective duty of the Pāṇḍava line.

Cultivate steadiness in duty and self-discipline—facing challenges without being easily shaken—while using strength to protect and serve others rather than for ego or aggression.