Shloka 23

Vāraṇāvata-praveśa and Jatugṛha-saṃdeha

Entry into Vāraṇāvata and Suspicion of the Lac-House

Devanagari script

ततो बद्धाड्गुलित्राणा बद्धकक्षा महारथा: । बद्धतूणा: सधनुषो विविशुर्भरतर्षभा:,उसके बाद भरतवंशियोंमें श्रेष्ठ वे वीर राजकुमार बड़े-बड़े रथोंके साथ दस्ताने पहने, कमर कसे, पीठपर तूणीर बाँधे और धनुष लिये हुए उस रंगमण्डपके भीतर आये

Transliteration

tato baddhāṅgulitrāṇā baddhakakṣā mahārathāḥ | baddhatūṇāḥ sadhanūṣo viviśur bharatarṣabhāḥ ||

Translation

Then those bull-like scions of Bharata—great warriors mounted on mighty chariots—entered the arena pavilion, their finger-guards fastened, their waists tightly girded, quivers strapped on their backs, and bows in hand.

Word by Word

ततःthen/thereafter

बद्ध-अङ्गुलित्राणाःhaving fastened finger-guards/gloves

बद्ध-कक्षाःwith girded waists (belts fastened)

महा-रथाःgreat chariot-warriors

बद्ध-तूणाःwith quivers fastened

स-धनुषःwith bows

विविशुःentered

भरत-ऋषभाःbulls among the Bharatas (best of the Bharata race)

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Bharatas (Bharata lineage)

mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)

chariots

aṅgulitrāṇa (finger-guards)

tūṇa (quivers)

dhanus (bows)

raṅgamaṇḍapa (arena pavilion, implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined preparedness and adherence to martial protocol: strength is framed through training, equipment, and orderly conduct in a regulated public setting—an aspect of kṣatriya-dharma where power is meant to be exercised with restraint and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra describes the royal warriors entering the arena pavilion for a formal display or contest, fully equipped—finger-guards on, waists girded, quivers strapped, bows in hand—arriving in their chariots as elite fighters.