Shloka 20

Devanagari script

आपीडकेयूरवराड्रदानि ग्रैवैयनिष्का: ससुवर्णसूत्रा:

Transliteration

āpīḍakeyūravarāḍradāni graivaiyanīṣkāḥ sa-suvarṇasūtrāḥ

Translation

Śalya menyebut perhiasan-perhiasan gemilang: apīḍa (hiasan kepala) dan keyūra (gelang lengan), serta kalung dan niṣka yang dirangkai dengan benang emas—kemewahan yang mengitari para kesatria, namun di bawah bayang perang justru menegaskan jurang antara kemuliaan lahiriah dan harga batin dari kekerasan.

Word by Word

• आपीड: diadems, head-ornaments
• आपीड: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपीड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• केयूर: armlets
• केयूर: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: केयूर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• वर: excellent, splendid
• वर: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• आर्द्रदानि: moistened/wet (with blood/sweat)
• आर्द्रदानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्द्रदानि
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• ग्रैवेय: neck-ornaments
• ग्रैवेय: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रैवेय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• निष्काः: gold ornaments/coins (nishkas)
• निष्काः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्क
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स: with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स

• सुवर्ण: golden (gold)
• सुवर्ण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सूत्राः: threads, strings
• सूत्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya
• diadem (āpīḍa)
• armlet (keyūra)
• necklace (graiveya)
• gold ornament (nīṣka)
• golden thread (suvarṇasūtra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the allure of external splendor—royal and martial ornaments—implicitly reminding that such visible glory can mask the deeper moral weight of war, where pride and display do not prevent suffering or accountability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śalya is describing (or pointing to) the warriors’ magnificent adornments—diadems, armlets, and gold-threaded necklaces—painting a vivid battlefield or courtly scene where martial prestige is emphasized.