Shloka 19

Devanagari script

दानवानां सहस्राणि हिरण्यपुरवासिनाम्‌

Transliteration

dānavānāṃ sahasrāṇi hiraṇyapuravāsinām

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Thousands upon thousands of Dānavas—those dwelling in Hiraṇyapura—[were present/arrayed].” The line evokes the vast, almost overwhelming scale of hostile forces, underscoring how war gathers not only human armies but also mythic powers aligned with adharma and aggression.

Word by Word

• दानवानाम्: of the Dānavas (demons)
• दानवानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• हिरण्यपुरवासिनाम्: of the dwellers of Hiraṇyapura (the golden city)
• हिरण्यपुरवासिनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यपुरवासी
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dānavas
• Hiraṇyapura

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the enormity of destructive power that can assemble when conflict is driven by domination rather than dharma. By invoking Dānavas from a mythic stronghold, it frames war as a moral and cosmic disturbance, not merely a human contest.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing the presence/assembly of vast numbers of Dānavas associated with Hiraṇyapura, emphasizing the magnitude and ominous character of the forces involved in the events being reported to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.