Shloka 57

Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

दर्शयेम च रूपाणि स्वशरीरे बहुन्यपि । न तु पर्यायतः सिद्धिर्बुद्धिमाप्रोति मानुषीम्‌,“इतना ही नहीं, हम अपने शरीरमें बहुत-से रूप भी प्रकट करके दिखा सकते हैं; परंतु इन सब प्रदर्शनोंसे न तो अपने अभीष्टकी सिद्धि होती है और न अपना शत्रु ही मानवीय बुद्धि अर्थात्‌ भयको प्राप्त हो सकता है

Transliteration

darśayema ca rūpāṇi svaśarīre bahūny api | na tu paryāyataḥ siddhir buddhim āpnoti mānuṣīm ||

Translation

اور یہ بھی کہ ہم اپنے ہی جسم میں بہت سے روپ ظاہر کر کے دکھا سکتے ہیں؛ مگر ایسے پے در پے مظاہروں سے نہ مقصود حاصل ہوتا ہے، نہ دشمن کے دل میں محض انسانی تدبیر—یعنی خوف—پیدا ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word

दर्शयेमwe could show / might display

चand

रूपाणिforms, appearances

स्वशरीरेin (our) own body

बहूनिmany

अपिalso, even

नnot

तुbut, however

पर्यायतःby turns / successively / in sequence

सिद्धिःsuccess, accomplishment

बुद्धिम्understanding, intellect

आप्नोतिattains, reaches

मानुषीम्human

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Mere exhibition of extraordinary power—such as manifesting many forms—does not by itself secure one’s objective. Ethical and strategic success depends on achieving the intended end through effective means, not on spectacle; likewise, a worthy opponent may not be shaken into ordinary human fear by displays alone.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and assessments, Sañjaya reports a statement emphasizing that even if one can demonstrate wondrous transformations, such demonstrations do not necessarily bring about the desired result or intimidate the adversary into human-level fear.