Shloka 19

Adhyāya 21 — Duryodhanasya bāṇavarṣaḥ

Duryodhana’s Arrow-Storm and the Dust-Obscured Engagements

Devanagari script

तदादाय धनु: श्रेष्ठ वरिष्ठ: सर्वधन्विनाम्‌ आरोप्य च धनु: शीघ्र॑ं महावीयों महाबल:,सम्पूर्ण धनुर्धरोंमें श्रेष्ठ महाबली एवं महापराक्रमी युयुधानने उस उत्तम धनुषको लेकर शीघ्र ही उसपर बाण चढ़ाया और कृतवमकि द्वारा अपने धनुषका काटा जाना सहन न करके उन अतिरथी वीरने कुपित हो शीघ्रतापूर्वक उसपर आक्रमण किया

Transliteration

tadādāya dhanuḥ śreṣṭhaṃ variṣṭhaḥ sarva-dhanvinām | āropya ca dhanuḥ śīghraṃ mahāvīryo mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Yuyudhāna, bậc hùng dũng đại lực, bậc nhất trong hàng cung thủ, cầm lấy cây cung tuyệt hảo ấy và mau chóng giương dây. Không chịu nổi nỗi nhục bị Kṛtavarmā chém đứt cung mình, chàng nổi giận và lập tức chuẩn bị đánh trả.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (it)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा (दा)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Prior action (having taken)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठम्: best, excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वरिष्ठः: the most excellent (one)
• वरिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्व-धन्विनाम्: of all archers
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + धन्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• आरोप्य: having strung (it), having mounted (the string/arrow)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह्/आ-रोप् (caus. of रुह्; usage: आरोपयति)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Prior action (having strung/placed upon)

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

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र

• महावीर्यः: of great prowess
• महावीर्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावीर्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबलः: of great strength
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• bow (dhanuḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the Kṣatriya code where martial readiness and the defense of honor drive swift action; it also implicitly warns how wounded pride can intensify anger and escalate violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that a great warrior takes up an excellent bow and quickly strings it, preparing to re-enter the fight immediately after a provoking setback, signaling an imminent counterattack.