Shloka 31

Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57

Devanagari script

स चरन्‌ विविधान्‌ मार्गान्‌ मण्डलानि च भागश:

Transliteration

sa caran vividhān mārgān maṇḍalāni ca bhāgaśaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Moving along many different routes, he also traced circles and divisions in measured parts.”

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चरन्: moving/walking
• चरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विविधान्: various
• विविधान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मार्गान्: paths/ways
• मार्गान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मण्डलानि: circles/orbits/rounds
• मण्डलानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भागशः: in parts/portion-wise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भागशस्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• अनिर्दिष्टः ‘सः’ (an unspecified ‘he’ in context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined, methodical action—movement that is not random but structured (bhāgaśaḥ), suggesting the importance of strategy, order, and deliberate control amid conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a figure (referred to as ‘he’) moving through varied routes and making circular courses and segmented maneuvers, indicating tactical motion or formation-work within the battlefield context.