Shloka 7

Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)

Devanagari script

रथैरनेकसाहस्रै: कलिड्रानां नराधिप । अयुतेन गजानां च निषादै: सह केतुमान्‌

Transliteration

rathair aneka-sāhasraiḥ kaliṅgānāṁ narādhipa | ayutena gajānāṁ ca niṣādaiḥ saha ketumān ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O king, Ketumān advanced with many thousands of the Kaliṅgas’ chariots, and with ten thousand elephants as well, accompanied by the Niṣādas.”

Word by Word

• रथैः: with chariots
• रथैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अनेकसाहस्रैः: with many thousands (of)
• अनेकसाहस्रैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेकसाहस्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कलिड्राणाम्: of the Kalidras (a people/tribe)
• कलिड्राणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिड्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अयुतेन: with ten thousand
• अयुतेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• गजानाम्: of elephants
• गजानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• निषादैः: with Niṣādas (a people/tribe)
• निषादैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषाद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• केतुमान्: Ketumān (the bannered one; proper name)
• केतुमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केतुमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Narādhipa (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• Ketumān
• Kaliṅgas
• Niṣādas
• Chariots
• Elephants

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the epic’s ethical backdrop of war: rulers marshal vast, diverse forces through alliances, highlighting how political power and collective choices amplify the scale and consequences of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Ketumān is advancing as part of the war host, bringing many thousands of Kaliṅga chariots and a contingent of ten thousand elephants, along with Niṣāda fighters.