Shloka 18

खरस्य सैन्योद्योगः

Khara Mobilizes the Janasthana Host

Devanagari script

खरस्तु तान्महेष्वासान्घोरवर्मायुधध्वजान्।निर्यातेत्यब्रवीद्दृष्ट्वा रथस्थस्सर्वराक्षसान्।।3.22.18।।

Transliteration

kharas tu tān maheṣvāsān ghoravarmāyudhadhvajān |

niryātety abravīd dṛṣṭvā rathasthaḥ sarvarākṣasān || 3.22.18 ||

Translation

Then Khara, from his chariot, looked upon all the rākṣasas—great bowmen bearing grim armor, weapons, and banners—and commanded, “March out!”

Word by Word

• खरः: Khara
• खरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/on his part
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/on the other hand)

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महेष्वासान्: great bowmen
• महेष्वासान्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to तान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मह + इष्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् इष्वासः येषां ते/महान् इष्वासः)

• घोर-वर्म-आयुध-ध्वजान्: bearing dreadful armor, weapons, and banners
• घोर-वर्म-आयुध-ध्वजान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of तान्/महेष्वासान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (समाहार-द्वन्द्व/बहुपदसमासः) — घोरं वर्म च आयुधं च ध्वजाश्च येषां ते (as a descriptive compound used adjectivally)

• निर्यात: march out!
• निर्यात: Vakya-karma/Command (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative to the addressed)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + या (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• अब्रवीत्: said/ordered
• अब्रवीत्: Karta-kriya (कर्ता-क्रिया/Finite verb of sentence)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done earlier)

• रथस्थः: standing in the chariot
• रथस्थः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of खरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (रथे स्थितः)

• सर्व-राक्षसान्: all the demons
• सर्व-राक्षसान्: Karma (कर्म/Object of दृष्ट्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सर्वे राक्षसाः)

Context

Khara mounted the chariot, saw the demons holding great weapons, wearing dreadful shields and holding flags, and ordered them to march.

Characters & Entities

• Khara
• rākṣasas
• Janasthāna (implied by surrounding verses)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Command authority is morally accountable; dharma holds leaders responsible for the justice of orders, not merely their efficiency or the army’s discipline.

What is the narrative situation?

Khara issues the mobilization order to the fully armed rākṣasa host.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Leadership and decisiveness—yet framed as militarized resolve in pursuit of an unrighteous objective.