Shloka 53

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय 54: फल्गुन-प्रतिरोधः, सौबली-व्यूह-विध्वंसः, दुर्योधन-भीष्म-संवादः

Devanagari script

शबरा उद्धसाश्वैव वत्साश्न सह नाकुलै: । नकुल: सहदेवश्न वाम॑ पक्ष समाश्रिता:,अग्निवेश्य, हुण्ड, मालव, दानभारि, शबर, उद्धस, वत्स तथा नाकुल जनपदोंके साथ दोनों भाई नकुल और सहदेवने बायें पंखका आश्रय लिया

Transliteration

śabarā uddhaśāś caiva vatsāś ca saha nākulaiḥ | nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca vāmaṁ pakṣaṁ samāśritāḥ ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「シャバラ、ウッダシャ、ヴァツァがナークリャの民とともにあり、兄弟ナクラとサハデーヴァは左翼に位置した。」

Word by Word

शबराःthe Śabaras (a tribe/people)

उद्धसाःthe Uddhasas (a people)

अश्वाःthe Aśvas (a people; lit. horses)

वत्साःthe Vatsas (a people)

चand

नकुलैःwith the Nakulas (a people)

नकुलःNakula

सहदेवःSahadeva

चand

वामम्left

पक्षम्wing; flank

समाश्रिताःhaving taken refuge in; having occupied

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Śabaras

Uddhaśas

Vatsas

Nākulas (people/region)

Nakula

Sahadeva

left wing (vāma pakṣa)

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?

Even in war, action is framed by discipline and assigned duty: groups and leaders must hold their designated positions, reflecting responsibility, coordination, and adherence to command rather than impulsive violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports the arrangement of forces: certain peoples (Śabaras, Uddhaśas, Vatsas, and those called Nākulas) along with the Pāṇḍava brothers Nakula and Sahadeva are stationed on the left wing of the army formation.