Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 19

Chapter 30: Formation Disruption, Competing War-Cries, and Nīla’s Fall

Droṇa-parva

खरोष्टमहिषा: सिंहा व्याप्रा: सूमरचित्रका: । ऋक्षा: शालावृका गृध्रा: कपयश्न सरीसूपा:,गदहे, ऊँट, भैंसे, सिंह, व्याप्र, रोझ, चीते, रीक्ष, कुत्ते, गीध, बन्दर, साँप तथा नाना प्रकारके भूखे राक्षस एवं भाँति-भाँतिके पक्षी अत्यन्त कुपित हो अर्जुनपर धावा करने लगे

sañjaya uvāca | kharoṣṭa-mahiṣāḥ siṃhā vyāghrāḥ sūmara-citrakāḥ | ṛkṣāḥ śālā-vṛkā gṛdhrāḥ kapayaś ca sarīsṛpāḥ ||

サञ्जयは語った――驢馬と水牛、獅子と虎、まだらで多様な獣たち。熊、山犬(ジャッカル)、禿鷲、猿、そして這い回る爬虫の類――これらに加え、飢えた貪欲な生き物が数多、怒りに燃えて押し寄せ、アルジュナに襲いかかった。戦の狂乱の中では、自然の相さえも捕食者へと変じ、暴力が解き放つ道義の闇と混沌を映し出すのである。

खरोष्टमहिषाःdonkeys, camels, and buffaloes
खरोष्टमहिषाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootखर + उष्ट्र + महिष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सिंहाःlions
सिंहाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसिंह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
व्याघ्राःtigers
व्याघ्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootव्याघ्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सूमरचित्रकाःhyenas and leopards/cheetahs (spotted beasts)
सूमरचित्रकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसूमर + चित्रक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
ऋक्षाःbears
ऋक्षाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootऋक्ष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शालावृकाःjackals
शालावृकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशालावृक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
गृध्राःvultures
गृध्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगृध्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
कपयःmonkeys
कपयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकपि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सरीसृपाःreptiles/serpents
सरीसृपाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसरीसृप
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
Arjuna
D
donkeys
C
camels
B
buffaloes
L
lions
T
tigers
B
bears
J
jackals
V
vultures
M
monkeys
R
reptiles/snakes

Educational Q&A

The verse uses predatory, chaotic imagery to highlight how war distorts the moral and natural order: when violence dominates, the world is pictured as turning hostile and ravenous, warning of the ethical degradation that accompanies unchecked fury.

Sañjaya describes a terrifying surge of fierce animals and scavengers—lions, tigers, jackals, vultures, and reptiles—rushing to attack Arjuna, functioning as vivid battlefield/omen imagery within the Drona Parva narration.