Shloka 28

Devanagari script

चित्राणि चापानि च वेगवन्ति ज्याक्षोत्तमा: संनहनोपपन्ना: । तूणांश्न पूर्णानू महतः शराणा- मासाद्य गात्रावरणानि चैव,“विचित्र एवं वेगशाली धनुष, उत्तम प्रत्यंचा, कवच, बाणोंसे भरे हुए विशाल तरकश और शरीरके आवरण--इन सबको लेकर शीघ्र तैयार हो जाओ

Transliteration

citrāṇi cāpāni ca vegavanti jyākṣottamāḥ saṃnahanopapannāḥ | tūṇāṃś ca pūrṇān mahataḥ śarāṇām āsādya gātrāvaraṇāni caiva ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Take up the splendid, swift-moving bows, fit the finest bowstrings, and be fully equipped for battle. Secure the great quivers filled with arrows, and don your body-protecting armours as well—make yourselves ready without delay.”

Word by Word

चित्राणिvariegated, splendid

चand

आपानिbows

चand

वेगवन्तिswift, forceful

ज्याक्षोत्तमाःexcellent bowstrings

संनहनोपपन्नाःequipped with fastening/strapping (well-fitted)

तूणांश्चquivers

पूर्णान्filled, full

महतःof great (size)

शराणाम्of arrows

आसाद्यhaving taken/obtained, having reached

गात्रावरणानिbody-coverings, armor

चand

एवindeed, just

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

bows (cāpa)

bowstrings (jyā)

quivers (tūṇa)

arrows (śara)

body-protections/armour (gātrāvaraṇa)

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 emphasizes disciplined readiness and proper equipment in the performance of one’s appointed duty (especially kṣatriya duty in war), highlighting that action should be undertaken with preparedness rather than haste or negligence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a call to immediate military preparation: warriors are instructed to take up swift bows, fit excellent bowstrings, secure large quivers full of arrows, and put on protective armour—signaling the onset of organized battle activity in the Droṇa campaign.