Shloka 15

Devanagari script

रक्तचन्दनदिग्धाड़ौ समदौ गोवृषाविव । चापविद्युद्ध्वजोपेतौ शस्त्रसम्पत्तियोधिनौ

Transliteration

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

Translation

সঞ্জয়ে ক’লে—ৰক্তচন্দনৰ লেপে অঙ্গ ৰঞ্জিত সেই দুয়ো নৰসিংহ সমান যুদ্ধোন্মাদে মত্ত, গোশালাত সংঘৰ্ষত নামি পৰা দুটা প্ৰবল বৃষভৰ দৰে আছিল। দুয়োৰে হাতে ধনু, বিদ্যুৎসম দীপ্ত ধ্বজা, আৰু সমগ্ৰ শস্ত্ৰসম্ভাৰে সম্পূৰ্ণ সজ্জিত যোদ্ধাৰূপে তেওঁলোকে থিয় হৈছিল।

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.