Mahabharata 11.19.3 — Stree Parva, Adhyaya 19, Shloka 3

स्त्रीपर्व — गान्धारीविलापः

Strī Parva — Gāndhārī’s Lament over the Fallen

Devanagari script

अस्य चापग्रहेणैव पाणि: कृतकिणो महान्‌ | कथज्जचिच्छिद्यते गृप्रैरत्तुकामैस्तलत्रवान्‌

Transliteration

asya cāpagraheṇaiva pāṇiḥ kṛtakiṇo mahān | kathaṃ ca cicchidyate gṛdhrair attukāmais talatravān ||

Translation

کمان تھامے رہنے ہی سے اس کی بڑی ہتھیلی پر موٹے گھٹے پڑ گئے ہیں۔ اور اس کے ہاتھ میں اب بھی دستانہ بندھا ہے؛ اس لیے گوشت کے لالچی گِدھ بڑی مشکل سے کسی طرح اسے چیر کر کاٹ پاتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• अस्य: of this (man)
• अस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• आपग्रहेण: by the grasp/holding (of the bow)
• आपग्रहेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपग्रह
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• पाणिः: hand/palm
• पाणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतकिणः: made calloused; having callus
• कृतकिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतकिण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महान्: great/large
• महान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• bow (cāpa)
• hand/palm (pāṇi)
• vultures (gṛdhra)
• hand-guard/glove (talatra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the grim ethical aftermath of war: the warrior’s lifelong discipline (a palm hardened by gripping the bow) becomes, after death, a mark on the body amid battlefield desecration. It evokes reflection on the cost of violence and the impermanence of martial glory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a fallen warrior’s hand: it is large and calloused from constant bow-gripping, and still protected by a glove/hand-guard. Because of this covering, vultures trying to eat the corpse can only tear the hand with difficulty.