Mahabharata 3.286.6 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 286, Shloka 6

Karṇa–Sūrya Saṃvāda: Satya, Dāna, and the Amoghā Śakti (कर्ण–सूर्यसंवादः)

Devanagari script

पुरद्वारेषु सर्वेषु गुल्मा: स्थावरजड़मा: । बभूवु: पत्तिबहुला: प्रभूतगजवाजिन:

Transliteration

puradvāreṣu sarveṣu gulmāḥ sthāvarajaḍamāḥ | babhūvuḥ pattibahulāḥ prabhūtagajavājinaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: „An jedem Stadttor standen befestigte Verteidigungsposten (gulmas), fest und unbeweglich errichtet, zum Verbergen und zum Schutz. Sie waren vor allem mit Fußsoldaten besetzt, dazu mit großen Zahlen von Elefantenreitern und Reitern zu Pferd.“

Word by Word

• पुरद्वारेषु: at the city-gates
• पुरद्वारेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरद्वार
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• गुल्माः: military posts / detachments (garrisons)
• गुल्माः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुल्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्थावरजडमाः: immobile and fixed (stationary)
• स्थावरजडमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावरजडम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बभूवुः: became / were
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

• पत्तिबहुलाः: abounding in infantry
• पत्तिबहुलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत्तिबहुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रभूतगजवाजिनः: having many elephants and horses
• प्रभूतगजवाजिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभूतगजवाजिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• city (pura)
• city gates (puradvāra)
• gulma (defensive post/stockade)
• infantry (patti)
• elephants (gaja)
• horses (vājin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prudent governance: a city’s protection is organized, layered, and proportionate—fixed fortifications at key points and a well-composed force (infantry supported by elephants and cavalry). Ethically, it reflects the ruler’s dharma to safeguard subjects through preparedness rather than negligence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes the defensive arrangement at a city’s gates: stationary gate-posts (gulmas) are established everywhere, staffed mainly by foot-soldiers and reinforced with many elephant and horse units, indicating heightened vigilance and readiness.