Shloka 28

रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield

Devanagari script

पाण्डवाश्च महेष्वासा व्यूह्य्‌ सैन्यमरिंदमा:

Transliteration

pāṇḍavāś ca maheṣvāsā vyūhya sainyam ariṃdamāḥ

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Die Pāṇḍavas—mächtige Bogenschützen und Bezwinger der Feinde—stellten ihr Heer in Schlachtordnung auf und bereiteten sich mit disziplinierter Entschlossenheit auf den kommenden Zusammenstoß vor. Die Zeile betont die ethische Last des Krieges: selbst in der Gewalt bestimmen Ordnung, Strategie und Verantwortung das Handeln.

Word by Word

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महेष्वासाः: great archers
• महेष्वासाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• व्यूह्य: having arrayed (having formed into a battle-formation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यूह्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• सैन्यम्: the army
• सैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अरिंदमाः: foe-subduers
• अरिंदमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरिंदम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍavāḥ (the Pāṇḍavas)
• Sainyam (army/troops)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, righteous conduct emphasizes disciplined preparation, clear command, and responsible use of force; the warriors are praised not merely for aggression but for controlled, strategic action aligned with kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍavas, renowned as great archers, organize their troops into a formal battle array (vyūha), signaling readiness for the next phase of combat in the Śalya Parva.