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Shloka 28

Puruṣottama-yoga

The Discipline of the Supreme Person) — Chapter 15 (Bhagavadgītā

यथा नदीनां बहवोअप्बुवेगा: समुद्रमेवाभिमुखा द्रवन्ति । तथा तवामी नरलोकवीरा विशन्ति वक्‍्त्राण्यभिविज्वलन्ति

arjuna uvāca | yathā nadīnāṁ bahavo 'mbu-vegāḥ samudram evābhimukhā dravanti | tathā tavāmī nara-loka-vīrā viśanti vaktrāṇy abhivijvalanti ||

ارجن نے کہا— جیسے دریاؤں کے بےشمار تیز دھارے صرف سمندر ہی کی طرف دوڑتے ہیں، ویسے ہی انسانوں کی دنیا کے یہ سورما تمہارے دہکتے ہوئے دہانوں میں داخل ہو رہے ہیں۔

यथाjust as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
नदीनाम्of rivers
नदीनाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootनदी
FormFeminine, Genitive, Plural
बहवःmany
बहवः:
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
अप्water
अप्:
TypeNoun
Rootअप्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
वेगाःcurrents/speeds
वेगाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवेग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
समुद्रम्the ocean
समुद्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसमुद्र
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
एवindeed/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
अभिमुखाःfacing toward
अभिमुखाः:
TypeAdjective
Rootअभिमुख
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
द्रवन्तिrun/flow
द्रवन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootद्रु
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
तथाso/thus
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
तवyour/of you
तव:
TypePronoun
Rootत्वद्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
अमीthese/those (here)
अमी:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअदस्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
नरलोकवीराःheroes of the world of men
नरलोकवीराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनरलोकवीर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
विशन्तिenter
विशन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootविश्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
वक्त्राणिmouths/faces
वक्त्राणि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवक्त्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
अभिविज्वलन्तिblaze forth intensely
अभिविज्वलन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootअभि-वि-√ज्वल्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

अजुन उवाच

A
Arjuna
K
Krishna (as the cosmic form addressed by 'tava')
R
rivers
O
ocean
B
blazing mouths (of the Viśvarūpa)

Educational Q&A

The verse conveys the irresistible pull of cosmic order: just as rivers inevitably flow to the sea, warriors are drawn into the divine, time-like power that consumes all. It highlights human limitation before destiny and the vastness of the divine will, urging humility and discernment about dharma amid war.

Arjuna, beholding Krishna’s terrifying universal form, describes how the assembled warriors seem to rush helplessly into the deity’s flaming mouths. The simile of rivers entering the ocean expresses the unstoppable momentum of destruction unfolding on the battlefield.