Shloka 12

अर्जुन-माहात्म्य-चिन्ता

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Arjuna’s Strategic Supremacy

Devanagari script

कृष्णावेकरथे यत्तावधिज्यं गाण्डिवं धनु:

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | kṛṣṇāvekarathe yattāvad adhijyaṃ gāṇḍīvaṃ dhanuḥ |

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra nói: “Chừng nào Kṛṣṇa và Arjuna còn cùng đứng trên một cỗ chiến xa, với cây cung Gāṇḍīva đã giương dây sẵn sàng, thì có thể làm gì được để chống lại họ?”

Word by Word

• कृष्णौ: Krishna (and Arjuna) / the two Krishnas
• कृष्णौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• एकरथे: in one chariot
• एकरथे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकरथ
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• यत्तावत्: as much as; just so far
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्तावत्

• अधिज्यम्: with the string fitted; strung
• अधिज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिज्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गाण्डिवम्: Gāṇḍīva (name of the bow)
• गाण्डिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाण्डिव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kṛṣṇa
• Gāṇḍīva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and strategic force of righteous alliance: when divine guidance (Kṛṣṇa) and disciplined prowess (Arjuna with the strung Gāṇḍīva) unite, opposition becomes morally and practically difficult—suggesting that strength grounded in dharma is hard to overcome.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra reflects with apprehension on the formidable combination of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna together on one chariot, emphasizing Arjuna’s readiness for battle (the bow already strung) and implying the near-invincibility of their side in the coming conflict.