Shloka 5

Tīrtha-yātrā: Prayāga-saṅgama and Gayaśiras—Rājarṣi Gaya’s Mahāyajña

Devanagari script

भवतो भ्रातर: शूरा धनुर्धरवरा: सदा | भवद्धिः पालिता: शूरैर्गच्छामो वयमप्युत,“आपके भाई शूरवीर हैं और सदा श्रेष्ठ धनुष धारण किये रहते हैं। आप-जैसे शूरवीरोंसे सुरक्षित होकर हम भी उन तीर्थोंकी यात्रा पूरी कर लेंगे

Transliteration

bhavato bhrātaraḥ śūrā dhanurdharavarāḥ sadā | bhavadbhiḥ pālitāḥ śūraiḥ gacchāmo vayam apy uta ||

Translation

“Các huynh đệ của ngài đều là dũng sĩ, luôn đứng đầu trong hàng cung thủ. Được những anh hùng như ngài che chở, chúng tôi cũng sẽ có thể tiến bước và hoàn thành cuộc hành hương đến các tīrtha ấy.”

Word by Word

भवतःof you/your

भ्रातरःbrothers

शूराःvaliant/heroic

धनुर्धरवराःexcellent bow-bearers

सदाalways

भवद्भिःby you (all)/by people like you

पालिताःprotected

शूरैःby heroes/valiant men

गच्छामःwe go / we shall go

वयम्we

अपिalso/even

उतand/indeed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

brothers (of the addressed person)

bow (dhanus)

tīrthas (sacred fords/pilgrimage sites)

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 dharmic ideal that strength and martial excellence are meant to provide protection for righteous undertakings—here, enabling a sacred pilgrimage. Heroism is framed as guardianship in service of a higher purpose, not mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reassures that the addressed person’s brothers are renowned warriors and expert archers; with such protectors, the group can safely continue their journey and complete the tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage to sacred sites).