Shloka 24

Daśame’hani Bhīṣma-yuddham — Śikhaṇḍī-rakṣaṇa, Arjuna-prabhāva, Duryodhana-āśraya-vākyam

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थामा तथा शल्य: काम्बोजश्च सुदक्षिण: । विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ बाह्विक: सह बाह्लिकैः

Transliteration

aśvatthāmā tathā śalyaḥ kāmbojaś ca sudakṣiṇaḥ | vindānuvindāv āvantyau bāhvikaḥ saha bāhlikaiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Aśvatthāmā, and Śalya, and the Kāmboja prince Sudakṣiṇa; and the Avanti princes Vinda and Anuvinda; and Bāhvika together with the Bāhlikas—these warriors were present among the Kaurava forces. The verse functions as a roll-call of notable combatants, underscoring how many renowned kṣatriyas, bound by allegiance and duty, have assembled for a war whose moral weight will be borne by all who choose to fight.

Word by Word

• {'aśvatthāmā': 'Aśvatthāmā, son of Droṇa

• a prominent Kaurava warrior', 'tathā': 'and also

• likewise', 'śalyaḥ': 'Śalya, king of Madra

• a major warrior allied with the Kauravas', 'kāmbojaḥ': 'the Kāmboja (a warrior/king from Kāmboja country)

• also a gentilic designation', 'sudakṣiṇaḥ': 'Sudakṣiṇa, a Kāmboja prince/king', 'vindānuvindau': 'Vinda and Anuvinda, two named princes', 'āvantyau': 'the two from Avanti

• belonging to Avanti (dual)', 'bāhvikaḥ': 'Bāhvika, a named warrior (often associated with the northwestern peoples)', 'saha': 'together with', 'bāhlikaiḥ': 'with the Bāhlikas

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvatthāmā
• Śalya
• Kāmboja
• Sudakṣiṇa
• Vinda
• Anuvinda
• Avanti
• Bāhvika
• Bāhlikas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the collective moral burden of war: renowned warriors from many regions assemble under bonds of alliance and perceived duty. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such mustering is not merely a list of names but a reminder that choices made for loyalty, ambition, or obligation carry consequences for individuals and kingdoms alike.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is enumerating prominent fighters aligned with the Kauravas during the Kurukṣetra war. This cataloging situates the audience in the battlefield context by naming key combatants and their regional identities.