Shloka 14

Devanagari script

नकुल: खड्गमादाय चर्म चाप्यर्धचन्द्रवत्‌ । सहदेवश्न राजा च चक्कुराकारमिड्डितै:

Transliteration

nakulaḥ khaḍgam ādāya carma cāpy ardhacandravat | sahadevaś ca rājā ca cakruḥ ākāram īḍitaiḥ ||

Translation

Duryodhana dijo: «Nakula ha tomado su espada y su escudo, marcado como una luna creciente. Sahadeva y el rey también, mediante diversos gestos y señales, han dejado claro lo que se proponen hacer».

Word by Word

• नकुलः: Nakula
• नकुलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• खड्गम्: sword
• खड्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• चर्म: shield (leather shield)
• चर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अर्धचन्द्रवत्: like a half-moon
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्धचन्द्रवत्
• Form: Indeclinable (vat-suffix form used adverbially/adjectivally), N/A, N/A

• सहदेवः: Sahadeva
• सहदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• चक्राकारम्: wheel-shaped, circular
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चक्राकार
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ईडितैः: with praised/approved (gestures); with lauded (signs)
• ईडितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईडित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• sword (khaḍga)
• shield (carma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how intentions in a tense ethical-political setting become legible through conduct: weapons taken up and gestures exchanged signal readiness for violence. It implicitly warns that adharma-driven provocation in a royal court can rapidly convert humiliation and rivalry into open conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana observes the Pāṇḍavas’ reactions: Nakula is visibly armed with sword and shield, and Sahadeva along with King Yudhiṣṭhira communicate through gestures what they are prepared to do—indicating a moment where confrontation seems imminent.