Shloka 6

Śaineya’s Breakthrough and Reunion with Arjuna (शैनेयस्य समागमः)

Devanagari script

नागेष्वश्वेषु बहुशो रथेषु च परीक्षितम्‌ परीक्ष्य च यथान्यायं वेतनेनोपपादितम्‌,हाथियों, घोड़ों तथा रथोंपर बैठकर युद्ध करनेकी कलामें सब लोगोंकी परीक्षा ली जा चुकी है और परीक्षा लेनेके पश्चात्‌ उन्हें यथायोग्य वेतन दिया गया है

Transliteration

nāgeṣv aśveṣu bahuśo ratheṣu ca parīkṣitam | parīkṣya ca yathānyāyaṃ vetanenopapāditam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Many times the men have been tested in the art of fighting from elephants, from horses, and from chariots; and after examining them, they have been duly provided for with wages in accordance with what is just.”

Word by Word

नागेषुon/among elephants

अश्वेषुon/among horses

बहुशःmany times; repeatedly; thoroughly

रथेषुon/among chariots

चand

परीक्षितम्examined; tested

परीक्ष्यhaving examined; after testing

चand

यथाaccording as; as

अन्यायम्injustice; improper rule (lit. non-justice)

वेतनेनby wages; with pay

उपपादितम्provided; furnished; assigned

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

elephants

horses

chariots

wages (vetana)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Competence should be assessed through proper examination, and compensation should be allotted in a manner consistent with nyāya (justice and propriety), linking reward to proven skill and fair procedure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an administrative-military arrangement: fighters have been repeatedly evaluated for combat roles on elephants, horses, and chariots, and after this vetting they have been assigned appropriate pay, indicating organized preparation for war.