Shloka 23

Uttara–Arjuna Saṃvāda and the Re-Arming of Gāṇḍīva

Virāṭa-parva, Adhyāya 40

Devanagari script

मम वा बाहुविक्षेपं शत्रूनिह विजेष्यत: । “उत्तर! मेरी आज्ञासे तुम शीघ्र इस वृक्षपर चढ़कर वहाँ रखे हुए धनुष उतारो, क्योंकि तुम्हारे ये धनुष मेरे बाहुबलको नहीं सह सकेंगे, कोई भारी कार्य-भार नहीं उठा सकेंगे अथवा बड़े-बड़े गजराजोंका नाश करनेमें भी ये काम न दे सकेंगे। इतना ही नहीं, यहाँ शत्रुओंपर विजय पानेके लिये युद्ध करते समय ये मेरे बाहुविक्षेपको भी नहीं सँभाल सकेंगे

Transliteration

mama vā bāhu-vikṣepaṁ śatrūn iha vijeṣyataḥ |

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—یہاں دشمنوں کو زیر کرنے کے لیے جب میں جنگ کروں گا تو یہ (ہتھیار) میرے بازو کی قوت کے جھٹکے کو برداشت نہیں کر سکیں گے۔

Word by Word

ममof me / my

वाor

बाहु-विक्षेपम्the throwing/brandishing of (my) arms; arm-swing

शत्रून्enemies

इहhere

विजेष्यतःof the one who will conquer / of the conqueror-to-be

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

enemies (śatravaḥ)

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?

Power in warfare is not mere aggression; it must match the duty at hand. The verse highlights that righteous victory requires adequate means and disciplined strength—ordinary tools cannot accomplish extraordinary, duty-bound tasks.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Virāṭa episode leading to battle, the speaker emphasizes that the coming fight against enemies demands exceptional martial force; the weapons to be used must be capable of withstanding the warrior’s arm-strength while he proceeds to conquer.