Mahabharata · 7.57.74–75
॥
Devanāgarī
ततः पार्श्वाद् वृषाङ्कस्य ब्रह्मचारी न्यवर्तत ॥
पिङ्गाक्षस् तपसः क्षेत्रं बलवान् नीललोहितः ॥
स तद् गृह्य धनुःश्रेष्ठं तस्थौ स्थानं समाहितः ॥
व्यकर्षच् चापि विधिवत् सशरं धनुर् उत्तमम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tataḥ pārśvād vṛṣāṅkasya brahmacārī nyavartata ||
piṅgākṣas tapasaḥ kṣetraṃ balavān nīlalohitaḥ ||
sa tad gṛhya dhanuḥśreṣṭhaṃ tasthau sthānaṃ samāhitaḥ ||
vyakarṣac cāpi vidhivat saśaraṃ dhanur uttamam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः पार्श्वात् वृषाङ्कस्यtataḥ pārśvāt vṛṣāṅkasyathen from the side of the Bull-marked one; then from the side of the Bull-marked one
ब्रह्मचारी न्यवर्ततbrahmacārī nyavartataa brahmacharin came forth; a brahmacharin came forth
पिङ्गाक्षः तपसः क्षेत्रम्piṅgākṣaḥ tapasaḥ kṣetramruddy-eyed, the field of austerity; ruddy-eyed, the field of austerity
बलवान् नीललोहितःbalavān nīlalohitaḥmighty, blue-red; mighty, blue-red
सः तत् गृह्य धनुःश्रेष्ठम्saḥ tat gṛhya dhanuḥśreṣṭhamhe, having taken that finest bow; he, having taken that finest bow
तस्थौ स्थानम् समाहितःtasthau sthānam samāhitaḥstood in position, composed; took his stance, composed
व्यकर्षत् च अपि विधिवत्vyakarṣat ca api vidhivatand drew, according to rule; and drew, according to custom
सशरम् धनुः उत्तमम्saśaram dhanuḥ uttamamthe finest bow with the arrow; the finest bow with the arrow
Translation
Then from beside the Bull-marked one a brahmacharin came forth -- ruddy-eyed, the field of austerity, mighty, blue-red. He, having taken that finest bow, stood in position, composed, and drew, according to rule, the finest bow with the arrow.
Version
3263dfab4a63 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
From the very body of Shiva -- "pārśvāt vṛṣāṅkasya" -- comes forth "nīlalohita", the blue-red brahmacharin, an image of the god himself, to show how the weapon is to be held. It is telling that instruction in the highest weapon comes not by word alone but by example, manifested from the Lord Himself. "Samāhitaḥ", composed -- even the divine instructor stands collected. The verse teaches that the true transmission of knowledge is accomplished by demonstration: God Himself shows how to take the stance, how to draw the string; and the disciple is given to receive not an abstract rule, but a living image of execution from the teacher himself.