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Shloka 2

अर्जुनस्य गुरुधर्मविलापः तथा शैनेयकर्णयोर्युद्धारम्भः | Arjuna’s Lament on Guru-Dharma and the Opening of the Sātyaki–Karṇa Duel

चारुदंष्टो नरव्याप्रो विचित्रकवचध्वज: । मृगं व्याप्र इवाजिप्रंस्तव सैन्यम भीषयत्‌

cārudaṁṣṭo naravyāghro vicitrakavacadhvajaḥ | mṛgaṁ vyāghra ivājipraṁs tava sainyam abhīṣayat ||

Sañjaya sprach: Mit schönen Zähnen, ein Tiger unter den Menschen, mit wunderbarem Panzer und Banner, stürmte er schnell heran und versetzte dein Heer in Schrecken—wie ein Tiger, der auf ein Reh zuschießt. Der Vers betont, dass sich im moralischen Wirrwarr des Krieges Furcht nicht nur durch Waffen verbreitet, sondern auch durch sichtbare Zeichen von Können und Entschlossenheit.

चारुदंष्ट्रःhaving beautiful tusks/teeth
चारुदंष्ट्रः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootचारु-दंष्ट्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नरव्याघ्रःtiger among men (a great hero)
नरव्याघ्रः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनर-व्याघ्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
विचित्रकवचध्वजःwhose armor and banner are variegated/splendid
विचित्रकवचध्वजः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootविचित्र-कवच-ध्वज
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मृगम्a deer (prey)
मृगम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमृग
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
व्याघ्रःa tiger
व्याघ्रः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootव्याघ्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
अजिप्रन्advancing/pressing forward in battle
अजिप्रन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअजि-प्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Present participle (Parasmaipada), प्र (प्रणयने/प्रगमने; here: to advance/press on)
तवyour
तव:
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
सैन्यम्army
सैन्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसैन्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अभीषयत्frightened/terrified
अभीषयत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभी (भय)
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Causative

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tava')
T
the Kaurava army (tava sainyam)
A
armor (kavaca)
B
banner/standard (dhvaja)
T
tiger (vyāghra)
D
deer (mṛga)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the psychological dimension of dharma-yuddha: in war, visible excellence—armor, banner, and fearless momentum—can unnerve opponents. It implicitly warns that adharma often manifests as panic and loss of steadiness, while disciplined valor projects moral and strategic force.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a mighty warrior—described as a 'tiger among men' with splendid armor and banner—charged swiftly and struck terror into the Kaurava ranks, compared to a tiger pouncing on a deer.