Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अर्जुनस्य वच: श्रुत्वा वित्रस्ताभून्निशाचरी । अथैनमन्तरिक्षस्थस्ततो वायुरभाषत,अर्जुनकी यह बात सुनकर निशाचरी भी भयभीत हो गयी। तदनन्तर अन्तरिक्षमें स्थित हुए वायु देवताने कहा--

Transliteration

arjunasya vacaḥ śrutvā vitrastābhūn niśācarī | athainam antarīkṣasthas tato vāyur abhāṣata ||

Translation

夜行之灵听见阿周那的话，顿时惊惧。随后，居于空中的风神伐由对他说道——

Word by Word

• अर्जुनस्य: of Arjuna
• अर्जुनस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• वित्रस्ता: terrified
• वित्रस्ता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वित्रस्त
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अभूत्: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• निशाचरी: the night-roaming woman (rākṣasī)
• निशाचरी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचरी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अन्तरिक्षस्थः: situated in the sky
• अन्तरिक्षस्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तरिक्षस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then/from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• वायुः: Vāyu (Wind-god)
• वायुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभाषत: spoke/said
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Niśācarī (female night-roamer/rākṣasī)
• Vāyu (Wind-god)
• Antarīkṣa (mid-air/sky)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how firm, principled speech can check harmful forces, and how divine authority may intervene to clarify or uphold dharma when a situation turns morally charged.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Arjuna speaks, a niśācarī becomes afraid; immediately afterward, Vāyu appears in the sky and begins to speak to Arjuna, signaling a new phase of the encounter guided by a deity.