Shloka 52

Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)

Devanagari script

नानाशस्त्रसमायुक्ता नानाकुण्डलधारिण:

Transliteration

nānāśastrasamāyuktā nānākuṇḍaladhāriṇaḥ

Translation

ສັນຊະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ພວກເຂົາພ້ອມດ້ວຍອາວຸດຫຼາຍຊະນິດ ແລະ ສວມຕຸ້ມຫູຫຼາຍແບບ—ເປັນພາບຂອງນັກຮົບທີ່ປະດັບພ້ອມສຳລັບສົງຄາມ, ໃນຂະນະທີ່ຄວາມສະຫງ່າງາມພາຍນອກ ແລະ ຄວາມພ້ອມຮົບ ຕັດກັນຢ່າງແຮງກັບຄ່າແທ້ພາຍໃນຂອງຄວາມຮຸນແຮງ.

Word by Word

• नाना: various, many kinds of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable)

• शस्त्रसमायुक्ताः: equipped/armed with weapons
• शस्त्रसमायुक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त्र-समायुक्त
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• नाना: various, many kinds of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable)

• कुण्डलधारिणः: wearing earrings
• कुण्डलधारिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुण्डल-धारिन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• weapons (śastra)
• earrings/ear-ornaments (kuṇḍala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing the combatants’ appearance—armed with diverse weapons and adorned with various earrings—setting the scene of a richly equipped battlefield contingent.