Shloka 14

सैन्यसंनिवेशः (Sainyasaṃniveśaḥ) — Deployment, Omens, and Yuddha-Dharma Conventions

Devanagari script

पाण्डुरेणातपत्रेण प्रियमाणेन मूर्थनि । मध्ये नागसहस्रस्य भ्रातृभि: परिवारित:,उसके मस्तकपर श्वेत छत्र तना हुआ था। वह एक हजार हाथियोंके बीचमें अपने भाइयोंसे घिरा हुआ शोभा पाता था

Transliteration

pāṇḍureṇātapatreṇa priyamāṇena mūrdhani | madhye nāgasahasrasya bhrātṛbhiḥ parivāritaḥ ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。白き王傘がその頭上に掲げられ、彼は燦然と輝いて見えた——兄弟たちに囲まれ、千頭の象のただ中に位置していた。この光景は、主権の威厳と、来たる衝突に備える大軍の整然たる力を物語っている。

Word by Word

पाण्डुरेणwith/by a white (pale) one

आतपत्रेणwith an umbrella/parasol

प्रियमाणेनbeing delighted/pleasing

मूर्धनिon (his) head

मध्येin the midst

नागसहस्रस्यof a thousand elephants

भ्रातृभिःby/with (his) brothers

परिवारितःsurrounded/encircled

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

ātapatra (white royal parasol)

nāga (elephants)

bhrātṛ (brothers)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the symbolism of rightful authority and disciplined strength: royal insignia (the white parasol) and orderly companionship (brothers surrounding) present power as structured and socially recognized, setting the ethical backdrop for how such power will be tested in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes a prominent warrior-king in the army: a white parasol is held over his head, and he stands amid a vast elephant contingent, attended and protected by his brothers—an image of grandeur and military readiness.