Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अश्वृत्थामा सोमदत्तश्नावन्त्यौ च महारथौ । महत्या सेनया युक्ता वाम॑ पक्षमपालयन्‌

Transliteration

Aśvatthāmā Somadattaś ca Nāvantyau ca mahārathau | mahatyā senayā yuktā vāmaṁ pakṣam apālayan ||

Translation

قال سنجيا: إنَّ أشفَتّامَا وسومَدَتّا وناڤَنْتْيَا—وكلٌّ منهم من عِظام مُقاتلي العَرَبات—ومعهم جيشٌ عظيم، تولَّوا حماية الجناح الأيسر.

Word by Word

• अश्वत्थामा: Ashvatthama
• अश्वत्थामा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थामन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सोमदत्तः: Somadatta
• सोमदत्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमदत्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्नावन्त्यौ: the two (women) named Shnavantī
• श्नावन्त्यौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्नावन्ती
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महारथौ: two great chariot-warriors
• महारथौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• महत्या: with a great
• महत्या: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• सेनया: army
• सेनया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• युक्ताः: joined/associated (with)
• युक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वाम्: left
• वाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पक्षम्: wing/flank
• पक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपालयन्: protected/guarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvatthāmā
• Somadatta
• Nāvantya
• vāma pakṣa (left wing)
• senā (army)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid warfare, the text emphasizes disciplined duty: leaders are assigned specific responsibilities (here, guarding a flank) and are expected to uphold them with coordination and steadfastness—an aspect of kṣatriya-dharma and organized conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports the deployment of key Kaurava warriors. Aśvatthāmā, Somadatta, and Nāvantya, supported by a large force, are stationed to defend the left wing of the army formation.