Shloka 21

पाण्डवसेनानायकाभिषेकः तथा बलरामागमन-उपदेशः | Appointment of Pandava Commanders and Balarama’s Counsel

Devanagari script

नानारूपविकाराश्न नानाकवचशस्त्रिण: । पदातिनो नरास्तत्र बभूविहेममालिन:,उस सेनामें जो पैदल मनुष्य थे, वे भी सोनेके हारोंसे अलंकृत थे। उनके रूप-रंग, कवच और अस्त्र-शस्त्र नाना प्रकारके दिखायी देते थे

Transliteration

nānārūpavikārāś ca nānākavacaśastrinaḥ | padātino narās tatra babhūvur hemamālinaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Di sana, bahkan prajurit pejalan kaki pun berhias kalung-kalung emas. Wujud dan warna mereka beraneka ragam; demikian pula zirah serta senjata mereka—bermacam-macam jenisnya.”

Word by Word

नानाvarious, many kinds of

रूपform, appearance

विकारchange, modification, variety

आश्चand

नानाvarious, many kinds of

कवचarmor

शस्त्रिणःarmed (weapon-bearing)

पदातिनःfoot-soldiers, infantrymen

नराःmen

तत्रthere

बभूवुःwere, became

हेमgold

मालिनःgarlanded, wearing necklaces/garlands

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

padātinaḥ (infantrymen)

kavaca (armor)

śastra (weapons)

hema-mālā (golden garlands/necklaces)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the grandeur of martial display—gold ornaments, varied armor, and weapons—can coexist with the looming ethical burden of war. It implicitly contrasts external splendor with the serious dharmic consequences of armed conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the assembled forces: even common foot-soldiers are richly ornamented, and the army appears diverse and well-equipped, emphasizing the scale, wealth, and preparedness surrounding the coming confrontation.