Mahabharata 7.65.4 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 65, Shloka 4

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 65 — Duḥśāsana’s Elephant Corps Engages Arjuna; Retreat to the Śakaṭa-vyūha

Devanagari script

हिरण्यकवचा: सर्वे सर्वे चोत्तमधन्विन: । सर्वेडश्चवमेधैरीजाना: कुमारा: शशबिन्दव:,शशबिन्दुके उन सभी पुत्रोंने सोनेके कवच धारण कर रखे थे। वे सब उत्तम धनुर्धर थे और अश्वमेध-यज्ञोंका अनुष्ठान कर चुके थे

Transliteration

hiraṇyakavacāḥ sarve sarve cottamadhanvinaḥ | sarve daśāśvamedhair ijānāḥ kumārāḥ śaśabindavaḥ ||

Translation

Nārada dit : «Tous ces princes, fils de Śaśabindu, portaient des cuirasses d’or. Chacun était un archer d’élite, et tous avaient accompli de nombreux sacrifices Aśvamedha.»

Word by Word

• हिरण्यकवचाः: having golden armor
• हिरण्यकवचाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिरण्यकवच
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• उत्तमधन्विनः: excellent bowmen
• उत्तमधन्विनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तमधन्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दश्च: ten (and)
• दश्च: Karta
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: दश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• अश्वमेधैः: by/with Ashvamedha sacrifices
• अश्वमेधैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• ईजानाः: having performed (sacrifices)
• ईजानाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईजान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कुमाराः: princes/sons
• कुमाराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शशबिन्दवः: the Shashabindu-s (descendants/sons of Shashabindu)
• शशबिन्दवः: Karta
• Type: Proper Noun
• Root: शशबिन्दु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Śaśabindu
• sons of Śaśabindu (princes)
• golden armor (hiraṇya-kavaca)
• bow (implied by dhanvin)
• Aśvamedha sacrifice

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the height of worldly excellence—wealth (golden armor), skill (supreme archery), and ritual prestige (multiple Aśvamedhas)—while implicitly reminding that such attainments are not identical with dharma; ethical rightness and the outcomes of war are not secured merely by power or sacrifice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing the princes who are the sons of Śaśabindu: they are magnificently equipped, renowned archers, and celebrated for having performed many royal sacrifices, establishing their status and formidable presence within the broader war narrative.