Archive for Category: Adjective

intractable:

hard to control or deal with

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  Vali’s arrogance and adamance made his small misunderstanding about Sugriva’s actions into an intractable conflict. Mahabharata:  Because Duryodhana refused to return the Pandavas’ rightful kingdom even after their exile, the political deadlock between the cousins became intractable. Bhagavad-gita:  Lust is the intractable inner enemy that torments all living beings and thus threatens

galling:

causing annoyance or resentment; irritating

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  It was especially galling for Ravana to be publically reproached by Kumbhakarna for having abducted Sita without consulting anyone else in Lanka. Mahabharata:  What Duryodhana found most galling about Krishna’s peace proposal was that it had won over Dushasana, the brother he trusted the most. Bhagavad-gita:  The thing our mind finds galling

punitive:

inflicting, involving or aiming at punishment

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  When Ravana rejected all of Rama’s efforts for peaceful resolution, Rama decided that punitive measures were called for. Mahabharata:  When Dhritarashtra failed to take any punitive action against Duryodhana after his shocking attempt to dishonor Draupadi, most of the courtiers recognized that Dhritarashtra would never control his son. Bhagavad-gita:  If we see

facile:

shallow, simplistic

Example Sentences: Ramayana:  The question of why Rama banished Sita is so morally complex that any facile explanation will alienate more than illuminate. Mahabharata:  When Arjuna is grief-struck at the death of Abhimanyu, Krishna doesn’t offer any facile explanation for the perennial problem of evil: why do bad things happen to good people? Bhagavad-gita:  To

squishy:

not firm, steady or fixed; soft as in lenient or imprecise

Example Sentences: Ramayana: On seeing how terrified his spies were of Rama, Ravana dismissed their estimate of the size of Rama’s army as squishy. Mahabharata: Shakuni’s brahmana friend, Kanika, made the morally squishy argument that life was meant for enjoyment; therefore whatever furthers one’s enjoyment was the right thing to do. Bhagavad-gita: If we are

pugnacious:

having a quarrelsome or combative nature; easy or quick to argue, quarrel or fight

Example Sentences: Ramayana: Knowing Lakshmana’s pugnacious nature and seeing his furious expression, all the monkeys and even their king, Sugriva, shrank back. Mahabharata: Among the Pandavas, Bhima was the most pugnacious, and he found the imposed inactivity of exile especially difficult. Bhagavad-gita: Given that Arjuna was ready to reconsider fighting even on the battlefield, he

lingering:

lasting for a long time or slow to end

Example Sentences: Ramayana: If any doubt was lingering in the minds of the associates of Vibhishana about surrendering to Rama’s side, it was removed by Rama’s warm acceptance of Vibhishana. Mahabharata: After Duryodhana publicly insulted Vidura and especially after Dhritarashtra remained silent, whatever lingering inclination Vidura had to stay with Dhritarashtra disappeared. Bhagavad-gita: Even when

callow:

lacking adult sophistication, immature

Example Sentences: Ramayana: When the alarmed Dasharatha objected that Rama was a callow youth incapable of fighting mighty demons, Vashishtha reminded him that Rama was actually Vishnu incarnate. Mahabharata: After Bhima went through the experience of being poisoned by Duryodhana and surviving miraculously, the powerful Pandava evolved from a callow teenager to a shrewd youth.

impassive:

showing no emotion, expressionless

Example Sentences: Ramayana: From the moment he heard that he had been exiled till the time he entered deep into the forest, Rama remained impassive, not wanting his emotions to further agitate Ayodhya’s citizens. Mahabharata: Although Duryodhana’s blow wounded Bhima severely, the Pandava remained impassive; that impassivity astounded Duryodhana, who hesitated to follow up his

flaccid:

not firm or stiff, lacking normal or dutiful firmness

Example Sentences: Ramayana: Although Jatayu’s limbs were by not any means flaccid, they just didn’t have the speed of youth. Mahabharata: Although Bhishma had been lying wounded on an arrow bed for several days, his body hadn’t become flaccid; far from it, an aura seemed to emanate from him. Bhagavad-gita: Time can make our body