Shloka 16

Devanagari script

विविधायुधपूर्णानि पताकाध्वजवन्ति च । समाश्ष तेषां पन्थान: क्रियन्तां नगराद्‌ बहि:,“उन शिविरोंको नाना प्रकारके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंस भरपूर तथा ध्वजा-पताकाओंसे सुशोभित रखना चाहिये। शिविरोंका जो नगर बसाया जाय, उससे बाहर अनेक सीधे तथा समतल मार्ग उन शिविरोंमें जानेके लिये बनाये जायूँ

Transliteration

vaśiṣṭha uvāca |

vividhāyudhapūrṇāni patākādhvajavanti ca |

samāśṣ teṣāṃ panthānaḥ kriyantāṃ nagarād bahiḥ ||

Translation

વૈશંપાયન બોલ્યા—આ છાવણીઓ નાનાપ્રકારના અસ્ત્ર-શસ્ત્રોથી ભરપૂર અને ધ્વજા-પતાકાઓથી શોભિત રાખો. તેમજ નગરની બહારથી આ છાવણીઓ સુધી પહોંચવા માટે અનેક સીધા અને સમતલ માર્ગો બનાવડાવો।

Word by Word

विविधvarious

आयुधweapons

पूर्णानिfilled, full

पताकाwith banners

ध्वजwith flags/standards

वन्तिpossessing (having)

चand

समाश्रिताःsituated/established, having taken position

तेषाम्of them (of those camps)

पन्थानःpaths, roads

क्रियन्ताम्let (them) be made

नगरात्from the city

बहिःoutside

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaishampayana

encampments/camps (śibira)

weapons (āyudha)

banners and standards (patākā, dhvaja)

city (nagara)

roads/routes (panthānaḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights practical dharma of governance in wartime: preparedness, clear organization, and orderly access routes. Ethical conduct in conflict includes minimizing chaos and ensuring disciplined arrangements rather than reckless violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s war-preparation context, instructions are being given for setting up military camps—stocking them with arms, marking them with banners/standards, and constructing straight, level roads from outside the city to facilitate movement and coordination.