Shloka 42

त्रिपुरदाह-इतिहासः

Tripura-destruction exemplum and counsel to Śalya

Devanagari script

तान्यनीकानि दृप्तानि शस्त्रवन्ति महान्ति च

Transliteration

tāny anīkāni dṛptāni śastravanti mahānti ca

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: «Aquellas formaciones de batalla se alzaban orgullosas y temibles: bien armadas y vastas en su extensión».

Word by Word

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अनीकानि: armies, battle-formations
• अनीकानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• दृप्तानि: proud, haughty
• दृप्तानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृप्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• शस्त्रवन्ति: armed, possessing weapons
• शस्त्रवन्ति: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त्रवत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• महान्ति: great, large
• महान्ति: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• anīka (battle-formations/armies)
• śastra (weapons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the intoxicating confidence of armed power: vast, weapon-bearing forces can become ‘dṛpta’ (proud), reminding the reader that martial strength often breeds arrogance—an ethical tension repeatedly examined in the war narrative.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, reporting events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, describes the opposing military arrays as immense and fully armed, emphasizing their intimidating presence and the heightened, pride-filled mood before or during engagement.