Shloka 1

Devanagari script

/ नील (0) +#अस+- एकाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: भिन्न-भिन्न देशके योद्धाओंके स्वभाव, रूप, बल, आचरण और लक्षणोंका वर्णन युधिषछ्िर उवाच किंशीला: किंसमाचारा: कथंरूपाश्ष भारत । किंसन्नाहा: कथंशस्त्रा जना: स्यु: संगरे क्षमा:,युधिष्ठटिरने पूछा--'भरतनन्दन! युद्धस्थलमें कैसे स्वभाव, किस तरहके आचरण और कैसे रूपवाले योद्धा ठीक समझे जाते हैं? उनके कवच और अस्त्र-शस्त्र भी कैसे होने चाहिये?

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: kiṁśīlāḥ kiṁsamācārāḥ kathaṁrūpāś ca Bhārata | kiṁsannāhāḥ kathaṁśastrā janāḥ syuḥ saṅgare kṣamāḥ ||

Translation

ユディシュティラは言った。「おお、バーラタよ。戦場に真にふさわしい戦士とは、いかなる気質をもち、いかなる振る舞いをなし、いかなる容貌を備える者なのか。さらに、戦に堪えるため、人はどのような甲冑をまとい、いかなる武器を持つべきか。」

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

उवाचsaid/spoke

किंशीलाःof what disposition/nature?

किंसमाचाराःof what conduct/behavior?

कथंरूपाःof what appearance/form?

भारतO Bhārata (descendant of Bharata)

किंसन्नाहाःwith what armor/equipment?

कथंशस्त्राःwith what weapons?

जनाःpeople/warriors

स्युःwould be/should be

संगरेin battle

क्षमाःfit/capable/competent

Speaker

युधिषछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Bhārata (address)

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 frames warfare as a domain governed by discernible standards of character and discipline: fitness for battle is not merely physical strength but includes temperament, ethical conduct, proper preparedness, and appropriate armament—an inquiry aligned with kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira asks the elder authority (addressed as ‘Bhārata’) to describe the traits, behavior, appearance, and equipment that characterize warriors who are truly competent on the battlefield, setting up a detailed exposition on martial types and qualities.