Shloka 25

पाण्डवसेनानायकाभिषेकः तथा बलरामागमन-उपदेशः | Appointment of Pandava Commanders and Balarama’s Counsel

Devanagari script

सेना च वाहिनी चैव पृतना ध्वजिनी चमू: । अक्षौहिणीति पर्यायर्निरुक्ता च वरूथिनी,इसके सिवा सेना, वाहिनी, पृतना, ध्वजिनी, चमू, वरूथिनी और अक्षौहिणी--इन पर्यायवाची (समानार्थक) नामोंद्वारा भी सेनाका वर्णन किया गया है

Transliteration

senā ca vāhinī caiva pṛtanā dhvajinī camūḥ | akṣauhiṇīti paryāyair niruktā ca varūthinī ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。「軍勢はまた、同義の呼称として senā、vāhinī、pṛtanā、dhvajinī、camū、varūthinī、そして akṣauhiṇī とも言われる。」『ウディヨーガ篇』の文脈において、この用語の列挙は、戦を単なる暴力ではなく、組織と責任を伴う制度として捉えさせ、その規模と構造を正確に理解したうえで、ダルマと外交の決断が下されるべきことを示している。

Word by Word

सेनाarmy

चand

वाहिनीarmy; host; troop-division

चand

एवindeed; just

पृतनाarmy; battle-array

ध्वजिनीarmy (with banners); battalion

चमूःarmy; host

अक्षौहिणीakṣauhiṇī (a complete army-unit of fixed size)

इतिthus; as (called)

पर्यायःsynonym; alternative name

निरुक्ताstated; expressed; explained

चand

वरूथिनीarmy; troop; host

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

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 teaches precision in understanding and naming collective military forces. In the ethical atmosphere of Udyoga Parva—where peace, duty, and the consequences of war are weighed—clear terminology underscores that war involves structured, measurable organization, and therefore demands responsible deliberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is explaining the nomenclature for an ‘army’ in multiple synonymous terms, including the technical term akṣauhiṇī. This occurs amid preparations and assessments of forces, helping the listener grasp the scale and classification of the armies being discussed.