Shloka 17

पाण्डवसेनानायकाभिषेकः तथा बलरामागमन-उपदेशः | Appointment of Pandava Commanders and Balarama’s Counsel

Devanagari script

द्वावड्कुशधरीौ तत्र द्वावुत्तमधनुर्धरी । दौ वरासिधरौ राजन्नेक: शक्तिपिनाकधृक्‌

Transliteration

dvāv aṅkuśadharī tau tatra dvāv uttamadhanurdharī | dvau varāsidharau rājan ekaḥ śaktipinākadhṛk ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Dort, o König, trugen zwei Männer den Elefantenhaken und dienten als Mahouts; zwei waren hervorragende Bogenschützen; zwei führten gute Schwerter; und einer trug eine Śakti (Lanze) und Pināka, Śivas heilige Waffe, bereitstehend unter den Begleitern.“

Word by Word

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अङ्कुशधरौ: two goad-bearers (mahouts)
• अङ्कुशधरौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्कुशधर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• उत्तमधनुर्धरौ: two excellent bowmen
• उत्तमधनुर्धरौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तमधनुर्धर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• वरासिधरौ: two bearers of excellent swords
• वरासिधरौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरासिधर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• एकः: one
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शक्तिपिनाकधृक्: one who bears a spear and Pināka (Śiva's bow)
• शक्तिपिनाकधृक्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्तिपिनाकधृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• King (rājan)
• aṅkuśa (elephant-goad)
• bow (dhanus)
• sword (asi)
• śakti (spear)
• Pināka (Śiva’s weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined preparedness and role-based duty: each attendant is equipped according to a specific function (mahout, archer, swordsman, spear-bearer), reflecting orderly protection and the ethical ideal of fulfilling one’s assigned responsibility in a royal setting.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing the armed personnel present—enumerating how many carried elephant-goads, bows, swords, and a spear with Pināka—conveying the guarded, martial atmosphere surrounding the royal party.