Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 94
Kārttikeya-Abhiṣecana: Mātṛgaṇa-Nāma Saṃkīrtana and Skanda’s Commission
उष्णीषिणो मुकुटिन: सुग्रीवाश्च॒ सुवर्चस: । किरीटिन: पञठचशिखास्तथा काज्चनमूर्धजा:
uṣṇīṣiṇo mukuṭinaḥ sugrīvāś ca suvarcasaḥ | kirīṭinaḥ pañcaśikhās tathā kāñcanamūrdhajāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : «Les uns portaient des turbans, les autres des couronnes étincelantes. Certains avaient le cou large et le teint rayonnant. Les uns arboraient des diadèmes, d’autres cinq chignons au sommet ; et certains avaient les cheveux d’une teinte d’or.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive rather than didactic: it highlights the outward diversity and splendor of warriors—insignia, grooming, and radiance—underscoring how war gathers many ranks and styles under a single, grave purpose.
Vaiśampāyana describes the assembled fighters in the Shalya Parva context, noting their varied headgear (turbans, crowns, diadems), distinctive hairstyles (including five topknots), and striking physical presence, as part of the broader battlefield tableau.