Shloka 18

अग्निभय-प्रसङ्गे मन्दपालस्य शोकः

Mandapāla’s Lament amid the Threat of Fire

Devanagari script

प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य दैवतेभ्य: प्रणम्य च । संनद्ध:ः कवची खड्गी बद्धगोधाड्गुलित्रक:

Transliteration

pradakṣiṇam upāvṛtya daivatebhyaḥ praṇamya ca | saṃnaddhaḥ kavacī khaḍgī baddhagodhāṅgulitrakaḥ ||

Translation

Nachdem er in ehrfürchtiger Umkreisung (pradakṣiṇa) geschritten und vor den Gottheiten niedergebeugt hatte, wandte er sich zurück, vollkommen gerüstet—gepanzert, das Schwert in der Hand, und mit festgebundenem Schutz aus Godhā-Haut (Leguan) samt Fingerschutz—ein Zeichen disziplinierter Bereitschaft und der Achtung vor der heiligen Ordnung selbst an der Schwelle zum Handeln.

Word by Word

प्रदक्षिणम्clockwise (in circumambulation)

उपावृत्यhaving gone around / having circumambulated

दैवतेभ्यःto the deities

प्रणम्यhaving bowed (down)

चand

संनद्धःarmed / equipped / girded

कवचीwearing armor

खड्गीbearing a sword

बद्धbound / fastened

गोधा-अङ्गुलित्रकःa finger-guard (archer’s thumb/finger protector) made of iguana-skin

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

daivata (deities)

khaḍga (sword)

kavaca (armour)

godhā-carma (iguana hide/leather guard)

aṅgulitraka (finger-protector)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct: before undertaking demanding or potentially violent action, one aligns oneself with sacred order through reverence (pradakṣiṇā and praṇāma) and then proceeds with disciplined preparedness, not impulsiveness.

What is happening in the narrative?

A warrior figure, after respectfully circumambulating and bowing to the deities, turns back and sets out equipped for action—armour and sword ready, with protective gear (godhā-hide guard and aṅgulitraka) secured.