Shloka 5

अध्याय ८ — शल्यस्य सत्कारः, वरदानं, पाण्डवसमागमश्च (Śalya’s Reception, the Boon, and Meeting the Pāṇḍavas)

Devanagari script

स्वदेशवेषाभरणा वीरा: शतसहस्रश: । तस्य सेनाप्रणेतारो बभूवु: क्षत्रियर्षभा:

Transliteration

svadeśaveṣābharaṇā vīrāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ | tasya senāpraṇetāro babhūvuḥ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Des héros par centaines de milliers — chacun portant l’habit et les parures de son propre pays — s’y étaient rassemblés. Pour cette armée, les plus éminents des kṣatriya devinrent commandants et chefs.

Word by Word

• स्वदेशवेषाभरणाः: wearing ornaments and dress of their own countries
• स्वदेशवेषाभरणाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वदेश-वेष-आभरण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वीराः: heroes, warriors
• वीराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शतसहस्रशः: by hundreds and thousands; in hundreds of thousands
• शतसहस्रशः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतसहस्रशस्

• तस्य: of him/that (of that one)
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सेनाप्रणेतारः: leaders/commanders of the army
• सेनाप्रणेतारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना-प्रणेतृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बभूवुः: became; were
• बभूवुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• क्षत्रियर्षभाः: bulls among kshatriyas; best of warriors
• क्षत्रियर्षभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• kṣatriyas (warrior class)
• senā (army/host)
• senāpraṇetāraḥ (army commanders)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its social dimension: warriors from many regions assemble in disciplined order under recognized leaders. It underscores how political and military duty organizes diverse peoples into a single command structure, foreshadowing the ethical weight of collective action in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the mustering of a vast force: innumerable warriors arrive, marked by their regional attire and ornaments, and eminent kṣatriya chiefs take up roles as commanders directing the army.