कलापिनौ धनुष्पाणी शोभमानौ दिशो दश। विश्वामित्रं महात्मानं त्रिशीर्षाविव पन्नगौ।।1.22.7।।
Meaning
With quivers and bows in hand, illuminating all ten directions, the two undiminished ones followed the great-souled Vishvamitra like twin three-headed serpents, or like the Ashvins following their grandsire.
Word-by-word (pada-artha)
| Word | Devanagari | Meaning | Grammatical role |
|---|---|---|---|
| kalāpinau dhanuḥ-pāṇī | कलापिनौ धनुः-पाणी | the two, quivers on, bows in hand | Nominative dual |
| śobhamānau diśaḥ daśa | शोभमानौ दिशः दश | illumining the ten directions | Nominative dual |
| viśvāmitram mahā-ātmānam | विश्वामित्रम् महा-आत्मानम् | the great-souled Vishvamitra | Accusative singular |
| tri-śīrṣāu iva pannagau | त्रि-शीर्षाउ इव पन्नगौ | like two three-headed serpents | Nominative dual |
Scholar commentary
valmikiramayan.net Prose Commentary
Desiraju Hanumanta Rao's prose rendering with embedded explanatory notes
The source explains the 'three-headed serpents' simile literally: each prince carries two quivers slung over his shoulders, and the feathered arrow-shafts protruding from the quiver-tops create the visual impression of two additional heads flanking each prince's own -- emphasizing, incidentally, how young and small-headed the boys still are relative to their equipment.
1 of 16 traditions have commentary on this shloka. Traditions without a verse-specific commentary here are omitted rather than filled in.
Reference: 1.22.7 · Bāla Kāṇḍa