Shloka 15

Devanagari script

आसन्नजलकाष्ठानि शतशो5थ सहस्रश: । अच्छेद्याहारमार्गाणि बन्धोच्छूयचितानि च,'भूमिपालो! आप कुरक्षेत्रमें सैकड़ों और हजारोंकी संख्यामें ऐसे शिविर तैयार करावें, जिनमें अपनी आवश्यकताके अनुसार पर्याप्त अवकाश हों तथा शत्रुलोग जिनपर अधिकार न कर सकें। उनमें पास ही जल और काष्ठ आदि मिलनेकी सुविधाएँ हों। उनमें ऐसे मार्ग होने चाहिये जिनके द्वारा खाद्यसामग्री सुविधासे लायी जा सके और शत्रुलोग उसे नष्ट न कर सकें तथा उनके चारों तरफ किलेबन्दी कर देनी चाहिये

Transliteration

āsannajalakāṣṭhāni śataśo ’tha sahasraśaḥ | acchedyāhāramārgāṇi bandhocchūyacitāni ca ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O king, have hundreds and even thousands of encampments prepared on the field of Kurukṣetra—spacious according to need, supplied with nearby water and firewood, and arranged so that the enemy cannot seize them. Let their supply-routes for provisions be such that they cannot be cut off or destroyed by opponents, and let them be secured with proper fortifications.”

Word by Word

आसन्नnear, close-by

जलwater

काष्ठानिfirewood/wood pieces

शतशःby hundreds, in hundreds

अथand then/also

सहस्रशःby thousands, in thousands

अच्छेद्यnot to be cut off/destroyed; inviolable

आहारfood supplies/provisions

मार्गाणिroutes/paths

बन्धbindings/fortifications/encirclements

उच्छूयhaving raised/erected (up)

चितानिpiled/arranged/constructed

चand

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kurukṣetra

encampments (śibira implied)

water (jala)

firewood/wood (kāṣṭha)

supply routes (āhāra-mārga)

fortifications/defensive works (bandha)

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 emphasizes responsible kingship in wartime: safeguarding troops through practical logistics—secure camps, reliable access to water and fuel, protected supply lines, and defensive fortification—so that avoidable suffering and disorder do not arise from negligence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration within the Udyoga Parva, preparations for the impending Kurukṣetra war are being described. The focus here is on organizing numerous well-supplied, defensible encampments and ensuring that provisions can be brought in without enemy disruption.