Shloka 29

Adhyāya 195 — Arjuna’s Capability and Restraint Regarding Divyāstras

Udyoga Parva

Devanagari script

रथा विंशतिसाहस्रा ये तेषामनुयायिन: । हयानां दश कोट्यश्व महतां किंकिणीकिनाम्‌

Transliteration

rathā viṁśatisāhasrā ye teṣām anuyāyinaḥ | hayānāṁ daśa koṭy-aśva mahatāṁ kiṅkiṇīkinām ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: «Tras ellos venían veinte mil carros, y diez crores de grandes caballos—enjaezados y sonoros con el tintinear de sus cascabeles—, señal de la inmensa magnitud de las fuerzas reunidas para el conflicto venidero».

Word by Word

• रथाः: chariots
• रथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विंशति-साहस्राः: twenty-thousand (in number)
• विंशति-साहस्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विंशति-साहस्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: which/that (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अनुयायिनः: followers
• अनुयायिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु-या (धातु) → अनुयायिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हयानाम्: of horses
• हयानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• दश: ten
• दश: Karta
• Type: Numeral
• Root: दशन्
• Form: true

• कोटि-अश्वाः: crores of horses
• कोटि-अश्वाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि-अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महताम्: of great (ones)
• महताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• किंकिणीकिनाम्: having (tinkling) bells
• किंकिणीकिनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किंकिणीक
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• chariots (ratha)
• horses (haya/aśva)
• tinkling bells (kiṅkiṇī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how the momentum toward war is built not only by intent but by vast material mobilization; it invites reflection on the ethical weight of leadership decisions when immense resources and lives are drawn into conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing the magnitude of the forces accompanying a party—counting chariots and horses—within the Udyoga Parva’s broader account of preparations and alliances leading up to the great war.