Shloka 5

Śikhaṇḍī-janma-nigūḍha-vṛtta (The concealed birth-account of Śikhaṇḍī) | शिखण्डी-जन्म-निगूढ-वृत्त

Devanagari script

ततः समुदयं कृत्वा बलानां राजसत्तम: | अभियाने मतिं चक्रे द्रुपदं प्रति भारत,भारत! इसके बाद नृपश्रेष्ठ हिरण्यवर्मानि सैन्य-संग्रह करके राजा द्रपदके ऊपर चढ़ाई करनेका निश्चय किया

Transliteration

tataḥ samudayaṃ kṛtvā balānāṃ rājasattamaḥ | abhiyāne matiṃ cakre drupadaṃ prati bhārata ||

Translation

ثم إنّ خير الملوك، بعدما حشد جيوشه، عزم على الخروج في حملةٍ عسكرية على دروبادا (Drupada)، يا بهاراتا (Bhārata).

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

समुदयम्massing, gathering (collection)

कृत्वाhaving done/made

बलानाम्of the forces/armies

राजसत्तमःthe best of kings

अभियानेin/for the expedition (march)

मतिम्intention, resolve

चक्रेmade, formed (resolved)

द्रुपदम्Drupada

प्रतिtowards, against

भारतO Bharata

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Drupada

Bhārata (addressee)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the exercise of royal power begins with organization (muster of forces) and culminates in intention (mati) to act; ethically, it invites reflection on whether strength is being gathered for protection and dharma or for aggression driven by rivalry.

What is happening in the narrative?

After assembling his troops, the king (implied in the chapter’s context) decides to march against Drupada, signaling the start of a planned campaign directed at the Pāñcāla ruler.