Shloka 20
अन्धकार-रजःसंमूढे रणाङ्गणे प्रदीपप्रकाशः | Illumination of the Army in Darkness and Dust
Devanagari script
चित्रोपचित्रश्षित्राक्ष क्षारुचित्र: शरासन:
Transliteration
citropacitraḥ śitrākṣa kṣārucitraḥ śarāsanaḥ
Translation
ಅವನು ವೈವಿಧ್ಯಮಯ ಹಾಗೂ ದೀಪ್ತಿಮಾನ್ ಅಲಂಕಾರಗಳಿಂದ ಅಲಂಕರಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿದ್ದನು; ಅವನ ಕಣ್ಣುಗಳು ತೀಕ್ಷ್ಣವಾಗಿದ್ದವು; ಅವನ ಧನುಸ್ಸೂ ವಿಶಿಷ್ಟ ವೈಭವದಿಂದ ಅಚ್ಚರಿಯಂತೆ ಕಾಣುತ್ತಿತ್ತು।
Word by Word
चित्रोपचित्रःvariegated and adorned (with variegation)
चित्रोपचित्रः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootचित्रोपचित्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
चित्राक्षःhaving wondrous/variegated eyes
चित्राक्षः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootचित्राक्ष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
क्षारुचित्रःbright/variegated like alkali/whitish (i.e., pale-variegated)
क्षारुचित्रः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootक्षारुचित्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शरासनःbow (lit. arrow-seat)
शरासनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशरासन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaB
bow (śarāsana)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
The verse highlights how war narratives often foreground visible signs of power—ornamentation, striking appearance, and weaponry—reminding readers that external splendor can accompany, and sometimes mask, the grave ethical stakes of violence.
Sañjaya is describing a warrior’s appearance and equipment on the battlefield, emphasizing his distinctive eyes and the notable, decorated bow he bears.