Shloka 19

Adhyāya 195 — Arjuna’s Capability and Restraint Regarding Divyāstras

Udyoga Parva

Devanagari script

तेषां विंशतिसाहस्रा हया: शूरैरधिषछिता: । पठ्च नागसहस्राणि रथवंशाशक्ष सर्वश:

Transliteration

teṣāṁ viṁśati-sāhasrā hayāḥ śūraiḥ adhiṣṭhitāḥ | pañca nāga-sahasrāṇi ratha-vaṁśāś ca sarvaśaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Unter ihnen waren zwanzigtausend Pferde, jedes von tapferen Kriegern beritten; dazu fünftausend Elefanten, und in allen Richtungen viele Streitwagen. Die Schilderung betont das anschwellende Momentum des Krieges: erfahrene Kämpfer, von hartem Entschluss entflammt, sammeln sich zu überwältigender Macht.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, plural

• विंशति: twenty
• Type: Numeral
• Root: विंशति
• Form: true

• साहस्राः: thousands (in number)
• साहस्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साहस्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• हयाः: horses
• हयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• शूरैः: by heroes/brave men
• शूरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• अधिष्ठिताः: mounted/occupied
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-स्था
• Form: past passive participle, masculine, nominative, plural

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Numeral
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: true

• नाग: elephant
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: masculine, compound-member, —

• सहस्राणि: thousands (i.e., five thousand elephants)
• सहस्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: neuter, nominative, plural

• रथ: chariot
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: masculine, compound-member, —

• वंशाः: lines/rows/companies
• वंशाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• अक्षौहिण्यः: armies (akṣauhiṇīs)
• अक्षौहिण्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षौहिणी
• Form: feminine, nominative, plural

• सर्वशः: altogether/in every way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशस्
• Form: true

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• horses (hayāḥ)
• elephants (nāgāḥ)
• chariots (rathāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how quickly conflict becomes institutional and massive: once war is set in motion, resources and seasoned fighters gather in great numbers. Ethically, it serves as a warning about escalation—power and preparedness can intensify adharma if not restrained by wise counsel and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing the composition and scale of assembled forces: a large cavalry contingent (20,000 horses with heroic riders), a substantial elephant corps (5,000), and numerous chariot formations spread throughout, indicating a fully mobilized army.