Shloka 4

अध्याय २६ — शल्यस्य सारथ्य-नियोजनं, कर्णस्य प्रस्थानं, उत्पातदर्शनं च

Chapter 26: Śalya appointed as charioteer; Karṇa’s departure; portents

Devanagari script

त्रिगर्तराज: समरे भ्रातृभि: परिवारित: । पुत्रैश्नैव महेष्वासैर्नानाशस्त्रविशारदै:

Transliteration

trigartarājaḥ samare bhrātṛbhiḥ parivāritaḥ | putraiś caiva maheṣvāsair nānāśastraviśāradaiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, the king of the Trigartas stood surrounded by his brothers, and also by his sons—mighty archers, skilled in the use of many kinds of weapons.

Word by Word

• त्रिगर्तराजः: the king of the Trigartas
• त्रिगर्तराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिगर्त-राज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भ्रातृभिः: by/with (his) brothers
• भ्रातृभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• परिवारितः: surrounded/encircled
• परिवारितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-√वृ (वारयति)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुत्रैः: by/with (his) sons
• पुत्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महेष्वासैः: by great archers
• महेष्वासैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-इष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नाना: various
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना

• शस्त्रविशारदैः: by those skilled in weapons
• शस्त्रविशारदैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त्र-विशारद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Trigartarāja (king of the Trigartas)
• Trigartas
• brothers (of the Trigartarāja)
• sons (of the Trigartarāja)
• bows
• weapons

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how martial duty in the epic is often carried as a family and clan obligation: courage and protection arise from solidarity, yet the same bonds intensify the ethical burden of war because entire lineages become invested in violence and its consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a battlefield formation: the Trigarta king is closely guarded and supported by his brothers and sons, all renowned archers and weapon-experts, indicating readiness for a major clash and the concentration of fighting strength around a leader.