Shloka 18

Kuru-Sainika-Āśvāsana and Vijayaghoṣaṇa

Reassuring the Kuru Soldiers; Proclaiming Victory

Devanagari script

शरचापप्लवां घोरां केशशैवलशाद्धलाम्‌ | तनुत्रोष्णीषसम्बाधां नागकूर्ममहाद्विपाम्‌

Transliteration

śaracāpaplavāṁ ghorāṁ keśaśaivalśāddhalām | tanutroṣṇīṣasambādhāṁ nāgakūrma-mahādvipām ||

Translation

વૈશમ્પાયન બોલ્યા—તે પ્રવાહ અત્યંત ભયંકર હતો; તેમાં બાણ અને ધનુષ નાની નાવડીઓની જેમ તરતાં જણાતાં. વાળ શૈવાલ અને ઘાસ જેવા લાગતાં. વીરોનાં કવચો અને પાગડીઓથી તે ભરાઈ ગઈ હતી; અને હાથી કાચબાં તથા મહાન જલચર પ્રાણીઓ જેવા દેખાતાં.

Word by Word

• शर: arrows
• शर: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चाप: bows
• चाप: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• प्लवाम्: boats (as if)
• प्लवाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• घोराम्: terrible
• घोराम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• केश: hair
• केश: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शैवल: algae, moss
• शैवल: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैवल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• शाद्धलाम्: grass, weeds
• शाद्धलाम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाद्धल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• तनुत्र: armours, cuirasses
• तनुत्र: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनुत्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• उष्णीष: turbans, headgear
• उष्णीष: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्णीष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सम्बाधाम्: crowded, choked (with)
• सम्बाधाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्बाधा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नाग: elephants
• नाग: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कूर्म: tortoises
• कूर्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महाद्विपाम्: great elephants (lit. great islanders)
• महाद्विपाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाद्विप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• bows (cāpa)
• arrows (śara)
• armour/cuirasses (tanutra)
• turbans (uṣṇīṣa)
• elephants (nāga)
• tortoises (kūrma)
• aquatic beasts (mahādvipa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the grim ethical cost of war: even symbols of valor (bows, arrows, armour) become mere floating wreckage, and life is reduced to lifeless imagery. It invites reflection on the suffering and dehumanization inherent in violent conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator depicts a terrifying scene like a flood or river filled with the remnants of battle—bows and arrows drifting, hair resembling weeds, armour and turbans clogging the flow, and elephants appearing like turtles or huge water-creatures.