Shloka 15

Devanagari script

तस्याप्यतुलनिर्घोषो बहुतोरणचित्रितः । ऋक्षचर्मावनद्धाड़रो नल्वमात्रो महारथ:,उसका विशाल रथ भी अनेक तोरणोंसे विचित्र शोभा पा रहा था। उसकी घर्घराहट भी अनुपम थी। उसके ऊपर भी रीछका चाम मढ़ा हुआ था और उसकी लंबाई-चौड़ाई भी चार सौ हाथ थी

Transliteration

tasyāpy atulanirghoṣo bahuto raṇacitritaḥ | ṛkṣacarmāvanaddhāro nalvamātro mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Kereta perang sang mahāratha itu pun tampak elok, dihiasi banyak gerbang-panji dan ragam hias pertempuran. Gemuruhnya tiada banding. Kereta itu berselubung kulit beruang, dan ukurannya amat besar—membentang hingga empat ratus hasta.”

Word by Word

तस्यof him/its

अपिalso/even

अतुलनिर्घोषःunmatched roar/sound

बहुतोरणचित्रितःadorned/variegated with many archways/banners

ऋक्षचर्मावनद्धःcovered/bound with bear-skin

रथःchariot

नल्वमात्रःof the measure of four hundred (hands/cubits) (as given in the Hindi gloss)

महारथःgreat warrior (lit. great-chariot fighter)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

chariot (ratha)

battle-arches/toranas (toraṇa)

bearskin (ṛkṣacarma)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily serves epic narration rather than direct moral instruction: it highlights how outward martial grandeur—noise, ornamentation, imposing scale—projects power and intimidates opponents, reminding readers that war amplifies spectacle even as it leads to destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya continues describing a great warrior’s chariot on the battlefield—its incomparable rumble, its many martial decorations, its bearskin covering, and its immense dimensions—emphasizing the formidable presence of the fighter and his war-car.