Shloka 23

Adhyāya 140: Rātriyuddhe Droṇa-prāpti-prayatnaḥ

Night engagement and the attempt to reach Droṇa

Devanagari script

तनुत्रै: सतलन्ैश्न हारैरनिष्किैश्व भारत । व्स्त्रैश्छत्रैश्न विध्वस्तैशज्ञामरव्यजनैरपि

Transliteration

tanutraiḥ satalaiś ca hārair aniṣkaiś ca bhārata | vastraiś chatraiś ca vidhvastaiś cāmaravyajanair api ||

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。「おお、バーラタよ。戦場は砕け散った鎧と兜、断たれた首飾りと金の装身具で埋まり、裂けた衣と壊れた天蓋の傘が散らばり、さらにはヤクの尾の払子（チャーマラ）や手扇までもが倒れていた。この光景は、戦が王者の栄華と名誉のしるしを塵芥へと変え、殺戮のただ中で世の地位のはかなさを露わにすることを示している。」

Word by Word

• तनुत्रैः: with body-guards/armours
• तनुत्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनुत्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सतलैः: with coverings/plates (protective layers)
• सतलैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सतल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• हारैः: with necklaces/garlands
• हारैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अनिष्कैः: with (gold) ornaments/coins (niṣka-type)
• अनिष्कैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिष्क
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वस्त्रैः: with garments
• वस्त्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• छत्रैः: with umbrellas
• छत्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• विध्वस्तैः: shattered/destroyed
• विध्वस्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विध्वस्त
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• चामरव्यजनैः: with yak-tail fans and hand-fans
• चामरव्यजनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चामर-व्यजन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• armor (tanutra)
• helmets (satalā)
• necklaces (hāra)
• gold ornaments (aniṣka)
• garments (vastra)
• parasols (chatra)
• cāmara-fans (cāmaravyajana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the impermanence of worldly grandeur: symbols of rank—armor, ornaments, parasols, and royal fans—are reduced to wreckage in war, implying an ethical warning against pride and attachment amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the aftermath on the battlefield to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, emphasizing the scattered, destroyed equipment and royal insignia, conveying the scale of devastation during the fighting in Droṇa Parva.