Mahabharata 3.37.20 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 37, Shloka 20

Vyāsa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira: Pratismṛti-vidyā, Arjuna’s Aśtra-Quest, and the Move to Kāmyaka

Devanagari script

प्रातिष्ठत महाबाहु: प्रगूहीतशरासन: । वधाय धाररराष्ट्राणां नि:श्वस्योर्ध्वमुदीक्ष्य च

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | prātiṣṭhata mahābāhuḥ pragṛhītaśarāsanaḥ | vadhāya dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ niḥśvasyordhvam udīkṣya ca |

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا— مہاباہو ارجن کمان و تیر سنبھالے روانہ ہوا۔ اس نے اوپر کی طرف دیکھ کر گہرا سانس لیا اور دھرم راج کے حکم کی تعمیل کرتے ہوئے، اندر کے درشن کی آرزو دل میں رکھ کر، دھرتراشٹر کے بیٹوں کی ہلاکت و زوال کا عزم کیے ہوئے کوچ کر گیا۔

Word by Word

• प्रातिष्ठत: set out, departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था (स्था धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथम, एकवचन

• महाबाहुः: the mighty-armed one (Arjuna)
• महाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रगूहीतशरासनः: having grasped the bow
• प्रगूहीतशरासनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-ग्रह् (ग्रह् धातु) + शरासन
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वधाय: for the slaying
• वधाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• धार्तराष्ट्राणाम्: of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• निःश्वस्य: having sighed/breathed deeply
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-श्वस् (श्वस् धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव), कर्तरि

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व

• उदीक्ष्य: having looked
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-ईक्ष् (ईक्ष् धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव), कर्तरि

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna (Dhanañjaya, implied by mahābāhuḥ in context)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhārtarāṣṭras (Kauravas)
• bow and arrows (śarāsana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya resolve aligned with dharma: action is undertaken with clear intent and steadiness, not as personal rage but as a duty-bound step toward restoring rightful order against adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the mighty warrior (Arjuna) arms himself, looks upward, draws a deep breath, and sets out with the intention of confronting and ultimately destroying the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.