Shloka 6

Devanagari script

तपनीयनिभौ चित्रौ कल्पवृक्षाविव द्रुमौ । किंशुकाविव चोत्फुल्लो प्रकाशेते रणाजिरे,सोनेके पंख और सीधे अग्रभागवाले बाणोंसे उन दोनोंके कवच छिन्न-भिन्न हो गये थे। दोनों ही उस महासमरमें खूनसे लथपथ हो सुवर्णके समान विचित्र कान्तिसे सुशोभित हो रहे थे। वे दो कल्पवृक्षों और खिले हुए दो ढाकके पेड़ोंके समान समरांगणमें प्रकाशित हो रहे थे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tapanīyanibhau citrau kalpavṛkṣāv iva drumau | kiṃśukāv iva cotphullo prakāśete raṇājire ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Those two, radiant like refined gold and splendid in appearance, shone on the battlefield like a pair of wish-fulfilling trees. Like two kiṃśuka trees in full bloom, they stood out brilliantly in the arena of war.”

Word by Word

तपनीय-निभौgold-like

चित्रौvariegated, splendid

कल्प-वृक्षौwish-fulfilling trees

इवlike, as

द्रुमौtwo trees

किंशुकौtwo palāśa/kimśuka trees

इवlike, as

चand

उत्फुल्लौfully blossomed

प्रकाशेतेthey shine, appear radiant

रण-अजिरेin the battlefield-courtyard (on the field of battle)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

kalpavṛkṣa (wish-fulfilling tree)

kiṃśuka (flame-of-the-forest tree)

raṇājira (battlefield)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a Mahābhārata motif: even amid destructive war, warriors are portrayed through elevated, nature-based imagery. It invites reflection on the tension between outer splendor (heroic radiance) and the inner ethical cost of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two combatants on the battlefield as shining brilliantly—likened to celestial wish-trees and to kiṃśuka trees in full bloom—emphasizing their striking appearance and prominence in the fight.