Shloka 109

Chapter 47: Krauñca-vyūha Deployment and Conch-Signals

Kaurava–Pāṇḍava Readiness

Devanagari script

ततो जघ्नुर्महाभेरी: शतशश्न सहस्रश: | शड्खांश्व॒ गोक्षीरनिभान्‌ दश्मुरईष्टा मनस्विन:

Transliteration

tato jaghnur mahābheryaḥ śataśaḥ sahasraśaḥ | śaṅkhāṃś ca gokṣīranibhān dadhmuḥ iṣṭā manasvinaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Daraufhin schlugen die hochgemuten Männer, von Freude erfüllt, große Kriegstrommeln zu Hunderten und Tausenden und bliesen Muschelhörner, weiß wie Kuhmilch, sodass ein dröhnender Lärm aufbrandete.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• जघ्नुः: they struck (beat)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: Lakara: Liṭ (Perfect); Person: 3; Number: Plural; Pada: Parasmaipada

• महाभेर्यः: great kettledrums
• महाभेर्यः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभेरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Gender: Feminine; Case: Accusative; Number: Plural

• शतशः: by hundreds
• शतशः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• सहस्रशः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• शङ्खान्: conches
• शङ्खान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Gender: Masculine; Case: Accusative; Number: Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• गोक्षीरनिभान्: white like cow’s milk
• गोक्षीरनिभान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोक्षीरनिभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Gender: Masculine; Case: Accusative; Number: Plural

• दध्मुः: they blew
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्मा (धातु)
• Form: Lakara: Liṭ (Perfect); Person: 3; Number: Plural; Pada: Parasmaipada

• इष्टाः: dear/choice (i.e., select)
• इष्टाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √इष्/√यज् अर्थे ‘प्रिय/इच्छित’)
• Form: Gender: Masculine; Case: Nominative; Number: Plural

• मनस्विनः: high-spirited men
• मनस्विनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Gender: Masculine; Case: Nominative; Number: Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• mahābhērī (great war-drums)
• śaṅkha (conch-shells)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the martial ethos of the Kṣatriya sphere: disciplined readiness and collective morale expressed through sanctioned battle-signals. The sound of drums and conches functions as a public declaration of resolve, aligning personal courage with the shared duty of one’s side.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the preceding developments on the battlefield, the warriors—exultant and resolute—beat large war-drums in vast numbers and blow milk-white conches. This creates a thunderous auditory scene marking the mobilization and heightened momentum toward combat.