Shloka 2

Devanagari script

चारुदंष्टो नरव्याप्रो विचित्रकवचध्वज: । मृगं व्याप्र इवाजिप्रंस्तव सैन्यम भीषयत्‌

Transliteration

cārudaṁṣṭo naravyāghro vicitrakavacadhvajaḥ | mṛgaṁ vyāghra ivājipraṁs tava sainyam abhīṣayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: With handsome fangs, a tiger among men, bearing a wondrous coat of mail and banner, he swiftly charged and terrified your army—like a tiger rushing upon a deer. The verse underscores how, in the moral chaos of war, fear spreads not merely by weapons but by the visible signs of prowess and resolve.

Word by Word

• चारुदंष्ट्रः: having beautiful tusks/teeth
• चारुदंष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु-दंष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नरव्याघ्रः: tiger among men (a great hero)
• नरव्याघ्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-व्याघ्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विचित्रकवचध्वजः: whose armor and banner are variegated/splendid
• विचित्रकवचध्वजः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र-कवच-ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मृगम्: a deer (prey)
• मृगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• व्याघ्रः: a tiger
• व्याघ्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अजिप्रन्: advancing/pressing forward in battle
• अजिप्रन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अजि-प्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Present participle (Parasmaipada), प्र (प्रणयने/प्रगमने; here: to advance/press on)

• तव: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अभीषयत्: frightened/terrified
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (भय)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Causative

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tava')
• the Kaurava army (tava sainyam)
• armor (kavaca)
• banner/standard (dhvaja)
• tiger (vyāghra)
• deer (mṛga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the psychological dimension of dharma-yuddha: in war, visible excellence—armor, banner, and fearless momentum—can unnerve opponents. It implicitly warns that adharma often manifests as panic and loss of steadiness, while disciplined valor projects moral and strategic force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a mighty warrior—described as a 'tiger among men' with splendid armor and banner—charged swiftly and struck terror into the Kaurava ranks, compared to a tiger pouncing on a deer.