Shloka 14

Devanagari script

नकुल: खड्गमादाय चर्म चाप्यर्धचन्द्रवत्‌ । सहदेवश्न राजा च चक्कुराकारमिड्डितै:,नकुल अर्धचन्द्रविभूषित ढाल एवं तलवार लेकर जा रहे हैं। सहदेव तथा राजा युधिष्ठिरने भी विभिन्न चेष्टाओंद्वारा यह व्यक्त कर दिया है कि वे लोग क्‍या करना चाहते हैं?

Transliteration

nakulaḥ khaḍgam ādāya carma cāpy ardhacandravat | sahadevaś ca rājā ca cakruḥ ākāram īḍitaiḥ ||

Translation

Duryodhana sagte: „Nakula hat Schwert und Schild ergriffen, der Schild gezeichnet wie eine Mondsichel. Sahadeva und auch der König haben durch mancherlei Gebärden und Zeichen deutlich gemacht, was sie im Sinn haben.“

Word by Word

नकुलःNakula

खड्गम्sword

आदायhaving taken

चर्मshield (leather shield)

चand

अपिalso

अर्धचन्द्रवत्like a half-moon

सहदेवःSahadeva

राजाthe king

चand

चक्राकारम्wheel-shaped, circular

ईडितैःwith praised/approved (gestures); with lauded (signs)

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

Nakula

Sahadeva

Yudhiṣṭhira

sword (khaḍga)

shield (carma)

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 intentions in a tense ethical-political setting become legible through conduct: weapons taken up and gestures exchanged signal readiness for violence. It implicitly warns that adharma-driven provocation in a royal court can rapidly convert humiliation and rivalry into open conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana observes the Pāṇḍavas’ reactions: Nakula is visibly armed with sword and shield, and Sahadeva along with King Yudhiṣṭhira communicate through gestures what they are prepared to do—indicating a moment where confrontation seems imminent.