Shloka 23

Devanagari script

एतैश्न मुख्यैरपरैश्न राजन्‌ योधप्रवीरैरमितप्रभावै: । व्यवस्थितो नागकुलस्य मध्ये यथा महेन्द्र: कुराराजो जयाय,राजन्‌! इनसे तथा अन्य अनन्त प्रभावशाली श्रेष्ठ एवं प्रधान योद्धाओंसे घिरा हुआ कुरुराज दुर्योधन हाथियोंके समूहमें देवराज इन्द्रके समान विजयके लिये खड़ा है

Transliteration

etaiś ca mukhyair aparaiś ca rājan yodha-pravīrair amita-prabhāvaiḥ | vyavasthito nāga-kulasya madhye yathā mahendraḥ kururājo jayāya, rājan ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O King, surrounded by these foremost heroes and by other warrior-champions of immeasurable might, the Kuru king Duryodhana stands poised for victory—like Mahendra (Indra) stationed amid a herd of elephants.”

Word by Word

एतैःby these

चand

मुख्यैःby the chief/primary (ones)

अपरैःby other (ones)

चand

राजन्O king

योध-प्रवीरैःby foremost heroes among warriors

अमित-प्रभावैःby (those) of immeasurable might

व्यवस्थितःstanding/posted, stationed

नाग-कुलस्यof the herd/group of elephants

मध्येin the midst

यथाas, like

महेन्द्रःMahendra (Indra)

कुरु-राजःthe king of the Kurus (Duryodhana)

जयायfor victory

राजन्O king

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Duryodhana

Mahendra (Indra)

Kuru kingdom/lineage

Elephants (nāga-kula)

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 highlights how power and confidence in war are amplified by strong allies and disciplined positioning; it also subtly warns that outward majesty—likened to Indra—does not by itself guarantee righteousness, only the drive for victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Duryodhana, surrounded by leading and other mighty warriors, stands firmly arranged for battle, appearing formidable like Indra amid a herd of elephants.