Shloka 18

Śikhaṇḍin’s Transformation, Daśārṇa Verification, and Kubera’s Conditional Curse

Udyoga Parva 193

Devanagari script

शिखण्डी युयुधानश्च धृष्टय्ुम्नश्व पार्षत: । भीमसेनो यमौ चोभौ युधामन्यूत्तमौजसौ

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍī yuyudhānaś ca dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca pārṣataḥ | bhīmaseno yamau cobhau yudhāmanyuttamaujasaū ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Śikhaṇḍī, Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki) und Dhṛṣṭadyumna, der Sohn des Pārṣata (Drupada); Bhīmasena; die beiden Zwillinge (Nakula und Sahadeva); sowie Yudhāmanyu und Uttamaujas — diese sind die Vornehmsten unter unseren Kriegern.“

Word by Word

शिखण्डीShikhandi

युयुधानःYuyudhana (Satyaki)

चand

धृष्टद्युम्नःDhrishtadyumna

चand

पार्षतःthe son of Prishata (Drupada)

भीमसेनःBhimasena

यमौthe twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)

चand

उभौboth

युधामन्युःYudhamanyu

उत्तमौजसौUttamaujas (the two warriors named so)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Śikhaṇḍī

Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)

Dhṛṣṭadyumna

Drupada (Pārṣata)

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Nakula

Sahadeva

Yudhāmanyu

Uttamaujas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in the approach to war, righteous leadership requires clear recognition of responsibility and capability—naming and organizing allies is part of fulfilling kṣatriya-dharma with accountability rather than impulsive violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva’s war-preparation context, Yudhiṣṭhira enumerates key Pāṇḍava-aligned champions—Pañcālas, Vṛṣṇis, and the Pāṇḍava brothers—highlighting the principal fighters who will stand in the coming conflict.