Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अनीकानां विभागेन पन्थान: संवृता5भवन्‌ | प्रवणाय च नैवासञ्छाल्वस्य शिविरे नूप,सेनाओंके विभागपूर्वक पड़ाव डालनेसे सारे रास्ते घिर गये थे। राजन! शाल्वके शिविरमें प्रवेश करनेका कोई मार्ग नहीं रह गया था

Transliteration

anīkānāṁ vibhāgena panthānaḥ saṁvṛtā abhavan | pravaṇāya ca naivāsan śālvasya śivire nṛpa ||

Translation

Vāyu said: “By the orderly deployment and division of the battalions, all the roads were blocked. O king, there remained no passage at all by which one could enter Śālva’s camp.”

Word by Word

• अनीकानाम्: of the armies/forces
• अनीकानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• विभागेन: by the division/disposition
• विभागेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभाग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पन्थानः: paths/roads
• पन्थानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• संवृताः: closed/blocked
• संवृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संवृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अभवन्: became/were
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural

• प्रवणाय: for entering / for access (lit. for descent/approach)
• प्रवणाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवण
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एव: indeed/at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• आसन्: were/existed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural

• शाल्वस्य: of Śālva
• शाल्वस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शिविरे: in the camp
• शिविरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिविर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वायुदेव (Vāyu)
• शाल्व (Śālva)
• शिविर (military camp)
• अनीक (battalions/armies)
• पन्थानः (roads/routes)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the practical ethic of vigilance and disciplined organization in conflict: strategic order and coordinated deployment can prevent reckless intrusion and protect a force, underscoring a ruler’s duty to ensure security through foresight rather than mere valor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu describes a tactical situation in which troops have been arranged in divisions so thoroughly that every road is sealed, leaving no route to enter Śālva’s encampment—an image of complete encirclement and controlled access.