Shloka 52
Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)
Devanagari script
नानाशस्त्रसमायुक्ता नानाकुण्डलधारिण:
Transliteration
nānāśastrasamāyuktā nānākuṇḍaladhāriṇaḥ
Translation
サञ्जयは言った。「彼らはさまざまな武器を備え、耳飾りも多様な意匠のものを身につけていた——戦いのために全身を飾り立てた戦士たちの姿であり、外なる華やぎと武の備えが、暴力の内なる代償と鮮烈に対照をなしていた。」
Word by Word
नानाvarious, many kinds of
नाना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाना
FormAvyaya (indeclinable)
शस्त्रसमायुक्ताःequipped/armed with weapons
शस्त्रसमायुक्ताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशस्त्र-समायुक्त
FormMasculine, nominative, plural
नानाvarious, many kinds of
नाना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाना
FormAvyaya (indeclinable)
कुण्डलधारिणःwearing earrings
कुण्डलधारिणः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकुण्डल-धारिन्
FormMasculine, nominative, plural
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaW
weapons (śastra)E
earrings/ear-ornaments (kuṇḍala)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The line highlights the paradox of war: warriors appear splendid and well-armed, yet such preparation serves destruction. It invites reflection on how social prestige and ornamentation can mask the grave ethical weight of violence.
Sañjaya is describing the combatants’ appearance—armed with diverse weapons and adorned with various earrings—setting the scene of a richly equipped battlefield contingent.