Shloka 11

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 130: Kuntī’s Instruction on Rājadharma and Daṇḍanīti

Devanagari script

अदृश्यन्तोद्यतान्येव सर्वप्रहरणानि च । नानाबाहुषु कृष्णस्य दीप्यमानानि सर्वश:

Transliteration

adṛśyantodyatāny eva sarvapraharaṇāni ca | nānābāhuṣu kṛṣṇasya dīpyamānāni sarvaśaḥ || śaṅkhaṃ cakraṃ gadāṃ śaktiṃ śārṅgadhanur halaṃ tathā | nandaka-nāmakaṃ khaḍgaṃ—ete ūrdhvam udyatāḥ sarvāyudhāni śrīkṛṣṇasya bahuṣu bāhuṣu dīpyamānāni dṛśyante sma ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Tất cả binh khí, đã giương cao sẵn, đều rực cháy hiện ra khắp bốn phía trên những cánh tay nhiều vô kể của Kṛṣṇa—ốc tù và, luân xa, chùy, giáo, cung Śārṅga, lưỡi cày, và thanh kiếm mang tên Nandaka. Cảnh tượng ấy không chỉ phô bày uy lực chiến trận, mà còn gợi nỗi kính sợ trước sự hộ trì thần linh: sức mạnh hiện hữu, nhưng đứng đó như lời cảnh cáo và tấm khiên cho dharma, chứ không phải bạo lực liều lĩnh.

Word by Word

• अदृश्यन्त: were seen/appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada

• उद्यतानि: raised, uplifted
• उद्यतानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• प्रहरणानि: weapons
• प्रहरणानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहरण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

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

• नाना: various, many kinds of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना

• बाहुषु: in (his) arms
• बाहुषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दीप्यमानानि: shining, blazing
• दीप्यमानानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्यमान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वशः: on all sides, everywhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛṣṇa
• śaṅkha (conch)
• cakra (discus)
• gadā (mace)
• śakti (spear)
• Śārṅga (bow)
• hala (plough)
• Nandaka (sword)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames divine power as aligned with dharma: the display of irresistible weaponry is not glorification of aggression but an ethical warning—dharma is protected, and adharma is checked by a higher order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a vision of Kṛṣṇa with many arms, each bearing radiant weapons (conch, discus, mace, spear, Śārṅga bow, plough, and Nandaka sword), emphasizing a theophanic display meant to inspire awe and restraint in the unfolding conflict.