Shloka 22
Bhīṣma’s Fall, the Arrow-bed (śara-talpa), and the Establishment of Guard
मनस्वी बलवाउुछूर: कृतास्त्रो लघुविक्रम: । दूरपाती दृढेषुश्व निमित्तज्ञश्न पाण्डव:,'पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुन मनस्वी, बलवान, शूरवीर, अस्त्रविद्याके पण्डित, शीघ्रतापूर्वक पराक्रम प्रकट करनेवाले, दूरतकका लक्ष्य बेधनेवाले, सुदृढ़ बाणोंका संग्रह रखनेवाले तथा शुभाशुभ निमित्तोंके ज्ञाता हैं
sañjaya uvāca |
manasvī balavān śūraḥ kṛtāstro laghu-vikramaḥ |
dūra-pātī dṛḍheṣuś ca nimitta-jñaś ca pāṇḍavaḥ ||
三阇耶说道：“那位般度之子——般度族的阿周那——心志高远而坚定，强健而英勇；精习兵器之道，施展神勇迅疾；能自远处命中目标，备有坚利之箭，并善于辨识吉凶征兆。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal warrior profile in the epic: inner resolve (manasvī), strength and courage (balavān, śūraḥ), disciplined mastery of weapon-lore (kṛtāstraḥ), swift and effective action (laghu-vikramaḥ), technical excellence (dūra-pātī, dṛḍheṣuḥ), and situational discernment through reading signs (nimitta-jñaḥ). Ethically, it frames martial power as grounded in training, self-control, and alert judgment rather than mere aggression.
In Bhīṣma Parva’s battle narration, Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and characterizes Arjuna by listing his virtues and battlefield competencies, underscoring why he is formidable and why events on the field may turn in the Pāṇḍavas’ favor.