Shloka 6

Śakuntalā’s Satya-Discourse and the Recognition of Bharata (शकुन्तला–सत्योपदेशः; भरतप्रतिग्रहः)

Devanagari script

सिंहनादैश्व योधानां शड्खदुन्दुभिनि:स्वनै: । रथनेमिस्वनैश्वैव सनागवरबूंहितैः,महाराज दुष्यन्तके यात्रा करते समय योद्धाओंके सिंहनाद, शंख और नगाड़ोंकी आवाज, रथके पहियोंकी घरघराहट, बड़े-बड़े गजराजोंकी चिग्घाड़, घोड़ोंकी हिनहिनाहट, नाना प्रकारके आयुध तथा भाँति-भाँतिके वेष धारण करनेवाले योद्धाओंद्वारा की हुई गर्जना और ताल ठोंकनेकी आवाजोंसे चारों ओर भारी कोलाहल मच गया था। महलके श्रेष्ठ शिखरपर बैठी हुई स्त्रियाँ उत्तम राजोचित शोभासे सम्पन्न शूरवीर दुष्यन्तको देख रही थीं। वे अपने यशको बढ़ानेवाले, इन्द्रके समान पराक्रमी और शत्रुओंका नाश करनेवाले थे। शत्रुरूपी मतवाले हाथीको रोकनेके लिये उनमें सिंहके समान शक्ति थी

Transliteration

siṃhanādaiś ca yodhānāṃ śaṅkha-dundubhi-niḥsvanaiḥ | ratha-nemi-svanaiś caiva sa-nāga-vara-bṛṃhitaiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: As King Duṣyanta set out, a great tumult rose on every side—warriors’ lion-roars, the blare of conches and kettledrums, the rumbling of chariot-wheels, and the trumpeting of mighty elephants. The departure proclaimed royal power held in disciplined order, a public assurance of protection and the upholding of the realm’s dharma.

Word by Word

सिंहनादैःby lion-roars

चand

योधानाम्of the warriors

शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिःस्वनैःby the sounds of conches and kettledrums

रथनेमिस्वनैःby the noise of chariot-wheels

चand

एवindeed/just

सनागवरबृंहितैःby the trumpeting of excellent elephants (lit. with the best-elephant-trumpetings)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Duṣyanta

warriors (yodhāḥ)

conch (śaṅkha)

kettledrum (dundubhi)

chariot (ratha)

chariot wheels (nemi)

elephants (nāgāḥ)

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 frames royal power as a dharmic responsibility: the king’s martial readiness and orderly retinue publicly signal protection of subjects and restraint of hostile forces, not violence for its own sake.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Duṣyanta begins his journey, the army’s sounds—battle-cries, conches, drums, chariot-wheels, and elephants—create a loud, awe-inspiring commotion that marks a formal royal departure.