Shloka 27

Adhyāya 36: Ghora-yuddha-varṇanam

A Clinical Description of the Intensified Engagement

Devanagari script

वैयाप्रचर्माणमकूजनाक्षं हैमत्रिकोषं रजतत्रिवेणुम्‌ | रथप्रबर्ह तुरगप्रबर्ह - युक्त प्रादान्महममिमं हि राम:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

vaiyāpracarmāṇam akūjanākṣaṃ haimatrikośaṃ rajatatriveṇum |

rathaprabārhaṃ turagaprabārha-yuktaṃ pradān maham imaṃ hi rāmaḥ ||

Translation

Sanjaya berkata: “Guru agung Rama (Parashurama) menganugerahkan kepadaku kereta perang yang megah ini—berlapis kulit harimau, porosnya tanpa bunyi; dihias tiga tabung anak panah emas dan ornamen triveṇu dari perak; lengkap dengan perlengkapan terbaik, serta dipasangi kuda-kuda unggul.”

Word by Word

• वैयाघ्रचर्माणम्: covered with tiger-skin (tiger-hide covering)
• वैयाघ्रचर्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैयाघ्रचर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अकूजनाक्षम्: whose axle/parts make no creaking sound
• अकूजनाक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकूजनाक्ष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हैमत्रिकोषम्: having three golden quivers/cases
• हैमत्रिकोषम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हैमत्रिकोष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रजतत्रिवेणुम्: with a silver tri-veṇu (threefold ornament/fixture)
• रजतत्रिवेणुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजतत्रिवेणु
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रथप्रबर्हम्: excellent/superior among chariots
• रथप्रबर्हम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रथप्रबर्ह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तुरगप्रबर्हम्: excellent/superior among horses (i.e., with best horses)
• तुरगप्रबर्हम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुरगप्रबर्ह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• युक्तम्: yoked, harnessed
• युक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रादात्: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा
• Form: Aorist, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मम: to me / of me
• मम: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative/Genitive, Singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• रामः: Rama (Paraśurāma)
• रामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Rāma (Paraśurāma)
• chariot (ratha)
• horses (turaga)
• tiger-skin (vyāghra-carma)
• axle (akṣa)
• three kośas/quivers (trikośa)
• silver triveṇu ornament (triveṇu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how a guru’s favor and the acquisition of splendid war-gear can elevate a warrior’s standing, yet ethically it warns that external power (weapons, chariots, boons) can intensify pride and attachment—factors that cloud judgment in dharmic conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a description of a superb chariot given by Rāma (Paraśurāma): tiger-skin covered, silent-axled, ornamented with golden cases/quivers and a silver triveṇu, and yoked to excellent horses—highlighting the grandeur of the martial resources involved in the war.