अर्जुन उवाच
कृतास्त्रम् अभिविश्वस्तम् अथ मां हरिवाहनः ॥
संस्पृश्य मूर्ध्नि पाणिभ्याम् इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
न त्वम् अद्य युधा जेतुं शक्यः सुरगणैर् अपि ॥
किं पुनर् मानुषे लोके मानुषैर् अकृतात्मभिः ॥
अप्रमेयो ऽप्रधृष्यश् च युद्धेष्व् अप्रतिमस् तथा ॥
अथाब्रवीत् पुनर् देवः संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहः ॥
अस्त्रयुद्धे समो वीर न ते कश् चिद् भविष्यति ॥
अप्रमत्तः सदा दक्षः सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रियः ॥
ब्रह्मण्यश् चास्त्रविच् चासि शूरश् चासि कुरूद्वह ॥
अस्त्राणि समवाप्तानि त्वया दश च पञ्च च ॥
पञ्चभिर् विधिभिः पार्थ न त्वया विद्यते समः ॥
प्रयोगम् उपसंहारम् आवृत्तिं च धनंजय ॥
प्रायश्चित्तं च वेत्थ त्वं प्रतिघातं च सर्वशः ॥
तव गुर्वर्थकालो ऽयम् उपपन्नः परंतप ॥
प्रतिजानीष्व तं कर्तुम् अतो वेत्स्याम्य् अहं परम् ॥
ततो ऽहम् अब्रुवं राजन् देवराजम् इदं वचः ॥
विषह्यं चेन् मया कर्तुं कृतम् एव निबोध तत् ॥
ततो माम् अब्रवीद् राजन् प्रहस्य बलवृत्रहा ॥
नाविषह्यं तवाद्यास्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु किं चन ॥
निवातकवचा नाम दानवा मम शत्रवः ॥
समुद्रकुक्षिम् आश्रित्य दुर्गे प्रतिवसन्त्य् उत ॥
तिस्रः कोट्यः समाख्यातास् तुल्यरूपबलप्रभाः ॥
तांस् तत्र जहि कौन्तेय गुर्वर्थस् ते भविष्यति ॥
arjuna uvāca
kṛtāstram abhiviśvastam atha māṃ harivāhanaḥ ||
saṃspṛśya mūrdhni pāṇibhyām idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||
na tvam adya yudhā jetuṃ śakyaḥ suragaṇair api ||
kiṃ punar mānuṣe loke mānuṣair akṛtātmabhiḥ ||
aprameyo 'pradhṛṣyaś ca yuddheṣv apratimas tathā ||
athābravīt punar devaḥ saṃprahṛṣṭatanūruhaḥ ||
astrayuddhe samo vīra na te kaś cid bhaviṣyati ||
apramattaḥ sadā dakṣaḥ satyavādī jitendriyaḥ ||
brahmaṇyaś cāstravic cāsi śūraś cāsi kurūdvaha ||
astrāṇi samavāptāni tvayā daśa ca pañca ca ||
pañcabhir vidhibhiḥ pārtha na tvayā vidyate samaḥ ||
prayogam upasaṃhāram āvṛttiṃ ca dhanaṃjaya ||
prāyaścittaṃ ca vettha tvaṃ pratighātaṃ ca sarvaśaḥ ||
tava gurvarthakālo 'yam upapannaḥ paraṃtapa ||
pratijānīṣva taṃ kartum ato vetsyāmy ahaṃ param ||
tato 'ham abruvaṃ rājan devarājam idaṃ vacaḥ ||
viṣahyaṃ cen mayā kartuṃ kṛtam eva nibodha tat ||
tato mām abravīd rājan prahasya balavṛtrahā ||
nāviṣahyaṃ tavādyāsti triṣu lokeṣu kiṃ cana ||
nivātakavacā nāma dānavā mama śatravaḥ ||
samudrakukṣim āśritya durge prativasanty uta ||
tisraḥ koṭyaḥ samākhyātās tulyarūpabalaprabhāḥ ||
tāṃs tatra jahi kaunteya gurvarthas te bhaviṣyati ||
Arjuna said: "When I had been trained in weapons and grown confident, Harivahana touched my head with both hands and said: 'Today not even the hosts of the gods can defeat you. What need to speak of the human world and its unrestrained men? You are immeasurable, unassailable, and unequaled in battles. In combat with weapons, hero, none will be your equal. You are ever heedful, skillful, truthful, you have mastered your senses, you honor the brahmins, you know the weapons and are brave, scion of Kuru. You have received fifteen kinds of weapons, Partha, and in five methods you have no equal: you know deployment, recall, repetition, atonement, and every form of counteraction. Now the time has come for a task for your teacher, scourge of foes. Promise to perform it; then I shall know your supreme worth.' Then I said to the king of the gods: 'If this is within my power to do, consider it already done.' The lord, mighty Vritrahan, laughed and said: 'Today nothing is impossible for you in the three worlds. There are danavas named Nivatakavacas, my enemies. They dwell in the depths of the sea, in a fortress. They are called the three koti; they are equal in form, strength, and splendor. Slay them there, son of Kunti: this shall be your task for your teacher.'"
6b47793eae5c · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:13:49 PM UTC
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Indra tests not only Arjuna's strength but his readiness to serve. Mastery of weapons is completed by guru-dakshina: strength gains meaning only when placed at the service of an assigned duty.