Shloka 17

Devanagari script

आशीविषसमस्पर्श: परकायप्रभेदन: । गुरुभारसहो दिव्य: सपत्नानां भयप्रद:

Transliteration

āśīviṣasamasparśaḥ parakāyaprabhēdanaḥ | gurubhārasaho divyaḥ sapatnānāṁ bhayapradaḥ ||

Translation

اُتّر نے کہا—یہ آشی وِش سانپ کے لمس کی مانند مہلک ہے؛ دوسرے کے جسم کو چیر دینے والا ہے؛ بھاری بوجھ اٹھانے کی طاقت رکھتا ہے؛ پراکرم میں الٰہی ہے؛ اور حریف جنگجوؤں کے دل میں خوف بٹھانے والا ہے۔

Word by Word

आशीविषसमस्पर्शःwhose touch is like that of a venomous serpent

परकायप्रभेदनःone who can pierce/penetrate another’s body

गुरुभारसहःable to bear heavy burdens

दिव्यःdivine, wondrous

सपत्नानाम्of the rivals/enemies

भयप्रदःgiving fear; fear-inspiring

Speaker

उत्तर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Uttara

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?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of formidable strength used as deterrence: true martial excellence is described not merely as aggression, but as a power that makes adversaries hesitate, thereby shaping the moral and strategic landscape of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttara is describing a warrior’s terrifying capabilities through vivid metaphors—deadly contact like a serpent, the ability to pierce foes, endurance under heavy loads, and near-divine prowess—emphasizing how such a fighter inspires fear in opponents.