Shloka 19

Devanagari script

आर्षभे चर्मणी चित्रे शतचन्द्रपुरस्कृते । तारकाशतचित्रे च निस्त्रिंशी सुमहाप्रभौ,उनके हाथोंमें सौ-सौ चन्द्र और तारकाके चिह्ढोंसे युक्त ऋषभके चर्मकी बनी हुई ढालें और चमकीले खड्ग शोभा पाते थे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | ārṣabhe carmaṇī citre śatacandrapuraskṛte | tārakāśatacitre ca nistriṁśī sumahāprabhau ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Their splendid shields, made of bull-hide, were richly adorned—set in front with a hundred moon-emblems and patterned with a hundred star-marks; and their bright swords shone with great radiance.

Word by Word

• आर्षभे: on/with (that) of the bull (ṛṣabha)
• आर्षभे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्षभ
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• चर्मणी: on the hide/leather
• चर्मणी: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• चित्रे: variegated, ornamented
• चित्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• शतचन्द्रपुरस्कृते: adorned in front with a hundred moons
• शतचन्द्रपुरस्कृते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शतचन्द्रपुरस्कृत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तारकाशतचित्रे: decorated with a hundred stars
• तारकाशतचित्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तारकाशतचित्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• निस्त्रिंशी: two swordsmen / (their) two swords
• निस्त्रिंशी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निस्त्रिंशिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• सुमहाप्रभौ: very greatly splendid (two)
• सुमहाप्रभौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमहाप्रभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• bull-hide shields (ārṣabha-carma)
• moon emblems (candras)
• star marks (tārakās)
• swords (nistriṁśa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya world of duty and readiness: outward splendor of arms reflects disciplined preparation for a grave, consequential conflict, reminding the listener that war is undertaken with full awareness of its weight and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya is describing the warriors’ equipment on the battlefield—ornate bull-hide shields marked with moon and star emblems, and brilliantly shining swords—intensifying the visual grandeur and tension before combat.