Shloka 54

वसुदेव–अर्जुन संवादः

Vasudeva–Arjuna Dialogue in the Aftermath of Dvārakā

Devanagari script

ततोडर्जुनो धर्नुर्दिव्यं गाण्डीवमजरं महत्‌ | आरोपयितुमारेभे यत्नादिव कथंचन

Transliteration

tato 'rjuno dhanuḥ divyaṃ gāṇḍīvam ajaraṃ mahat | āropayitum ārebhe yatnād iva kathaṃcana ||

Translation

于是阿周那着手张弦于他的神弓——雄伟而不朽的甘狄婆。然而纵使竭力，他也几乎无法将其举起并装配就位。

Word by Word

ततःthen; thereafter

अर्जुनःArjuna

धनुःbow

दिव्यम्divine

गाण्डीवम्Gāṇḍīva (name of the bow)

अजरम्unaging; imperishable

महत्great; mighty

आरोपयितुम्to string; to mount (on the bow)

आरेभेbegan; undertook

यत्नात्with effort; by exertion

इवas if; like

कथंचनsomehow; by any means

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Gāṇḍīva

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the greatest worldly prowess is not permanent; when time (kāla) turns and merit is exhausted, strength and mastery can diminish. The verse underscores humility before fate and the ethical insight that power is contingent, not a fixed possession.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna tries to ready his famed divine bow Gāṇḍīva, but he struggles to string or even properly raise it. This moment foreshadows the weakening of the old heroic order in the Mausala Parva’s aftermath.