Shloka 18

Devanagari script

सतु बद्धाड्गुलित्राणो नैषादिर्दूढविक्रम: । अतिमानी वनचरो बभौ राम इवापर:,सुदृढ़ पराक्रमसे सम्पन्न अत्यन्त अभिमानी एकलव्य जब हाथोंमें दस्ताने पहनकर वनमें विचरता, उस समय दूसरे परशुरामके समान जान पड़ता था

Transliteration

sa tu baddhāṅgulitrāṇo naiṣādir dūḍhavikramaḥ | atimānī vanacaro babhau rāma ivāparaḥ ||

Translation

But that Niṣāda-born warrior, Ekalavya—of firm and proven prowess—would roam the forest wearing finger-guards; in his overbearing pride he appeared like another Rāma (Paraśurāma).

Word by Word

सःhe

तुbut/indeed

बद्ध-अङ्गुलि-त्राणःwearing/fastened with finger-guards (gloves)

नैषादिःthe Niṣāda youth (Ekalavya)

दूढ-विक्रमःof firm/steadfast prowess

अति-मानीvery proud

वन-चरःroaming in the forest

बभौshone/appeared

रामःRāma (Paraśurāma)

इवlike/as

अपरःanother/second

Speaker

श्रीवायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva (speaker)

Ekalavya

Niṣāda

Rāma (Paraśurāma)

aṅgulitrāṇa (finger-guards/gloves)

forest (vana)

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 juxtaposes disciplined martial capability with excessive pride: strength and skill can be admirable, but when driven by arrogance they become ethically unstable and potentially destructive.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva describes Ekalavya as a formidable forest-ranging archer wearing protective finger-guards, whose proud bearing makes him seem like a second Paraśurāma.