Shloka 15

Devanagari script

रक्तचन्दनदिग्धाड़ौ समदौ गोवृषाविव । चापविद्युद्ध्वजोपेतौ शस्त्रसम्पत्तियोधिनौ

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | raktacandanadigdhāṅgau samadau govṛṣāv iva | cāpavidyuddhvajopetau śastrasampattiyodhinau ||

Translation

قال سَنْجَيا: «إنّ هذين الرجلين الشبيهين بالأسدين، وقد طُليت أعضاؤهما بصندلٍ أحمر، وقفا متكافئين، سكرانين بحميّة القتال كثورين قويّين. وكان كلٌّ منهما مزوّدًا بقوسٍ ورايةٍ تلمع كالبرق، وبتمام عُدّة السلاح—محاربين مكتملين في كلّ ما يُحتاج إليه في الحرب».

Word by Word

• रक्तचन्दनदिग्धाङ्गौ: the two whose limbs were smeared with red sandal paste
• रक्तचन्दनदिग्धाङ्गौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त-चन्दन-दिग्ध-अङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• समदौ: equally intoxicated/proud
• समदौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• गोवृषौ: two bulls (of the herd)
• गोवृषौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोवृष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• चापविद्युद्ध्वजोपेतौ: the two endowed with bows, lightning(-like radiance), and banners
• चापविद्युद्ध्वजोपेतौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चाप-विद्युत्-ध्वज-उपेत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• शस्त्रसम्पत्तियोधिनौ: two warriors possessing an array of weapons
• शस्त्रसम्पत्तियोधिनौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त्र-सम्पत्ति-योधिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• red sandalwood (raktacandana)
• bow (cāpa)
• banner/standard (dhvaja)
• weapons (śastra)
• lightning (vidyut)
• bulls (go-vṛṣa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the epic’s martial ideal: outward splendor and complete armament mirror inner resolve and pride. It also subtly warns that ‘mada’ (battle-intoxication/pride), though celebrated as valor, can propel warriors toward destructive confrontation when unchecked by dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two foremost chariot-warriors facing each other, equally radiant and fully equipped—likened to two powerful bulls in rut—setting the tone for an imminent, evenly matched clash.