Shloka 18

Devanagari script

सुवर्ण रजतं चैव धेनूर्वासांसि वाजिन: । कुण्जरांश्व रथांश्वैव खरोष्ट्र वाहनानि च

Transliteration

suvarṇa-rajataṃ caiva dhenūr vāsāṃsi vājinaḥ | kuñjarāṃś ca rathāṃś caiva kharoṣṭra-vāhanāni ca ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Gold and silver; cows; garments; horses; elephants and chariots; and also conveyances drawn by donkeys and camels.”

Word by Word

सुवर्णम्gold

रजतम्silver

चand

एवindeed/also

धेनूःcows

वासांसिgarments

वाजिनःhorses

कुञ्जरान्elephants

अश्वान्horses

रथान्chariots

चand

एवalso/indeed

खरdonkeys

उष्ट्रcamels

वाहनानिvehicles/beasts of burden

चand

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

gold (suvarṇa)

silver (rajata)

cows (dhenūḥ)

garments (vāsāṃsi)

horses (vājinaḥ)

elephants (kuñjarāḥ)

chariots (rathāḥ)

donkey-drawn conveyances (khara-vāhanāni)

camel conveyances (uṣṭra-vāhanāni)

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 underscores that wealth and means of transport—metals, livestock, clothing, and vehicles—are central to royal action in wartime; ethically, such resources should be acquired and distributed in ways consistent with dharma (right conduct), not merely for greed or cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana enumerates categories of valuables and conveyances—gold, silver, cows, garments, horses, elephants, chariots, and donkey/camel vehicles—indicating the gathering or granting of material resources within the Shalya Parva war narrative.