Shloka 13

भीष्म-द्रोणादिभिः पाण्डवसेनाक्षयकाल-निर्णयः | Time-estimates for the depletion of the Pāṇḍava forces

Bhīṣma–Droṇa council

Devanagari script

न विशेषं विजानन्ति पुरस्य शिबिरस्य वा | कुशला अपि राजेन्द्र नरा नगरवासिन:

Transliteration

na viśeṣaṃ vijānanti purasya śibirasya vā | kuśalā api rājendra narā nagaravāsinaḥ, bhārata |

Translation

ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ໂອ ພຣະຣາຊາຜູ້ປະເສີດ, ແມ່ນແຕ່ຊາວເມືອງຜູ້ຊຳນານ ແລະ ຮູ້ທັນ ກໍບໍ່ອາດຮູ້ໄດ້ວ່າ ມີຄວາມແຕກຕ່າງອັນໃດລະຫວ່າງເມືອງ ແລະ ຄ່າຍ. ທຸຣໂຢທະນະ ໄດ້ຈັດສ້າງທີ່ພັກໄວ້ກ່ອນ ຕົກແຕ່ງດັ່ງ ຮາສຕິນາປຸຣະ ອີກເມືອງໜຶ່ງ ຈົນຄ່າຍນັ້ນເບິ່ງຄືເມືອງແທ້ໆ ບໍ່ມີຂອບແບ່ງ.

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• विशेषम्: difference, distinction
• विशेषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विजानन्ति: they know, they discern
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पुरस्य: of the city
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• शिबिरस्य: of the camp
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिर
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• कुशलाः: skilled, clever
• कुशलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपि: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नगरवासिनः: city-dwellers
• नगरवासिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगरवासिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Duryodhana
• Hastināpura
• pura (city)
• śibira (camp)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how power can manufacture appearances: a well-constructed façade can blur the line between what is temporary (a camp) and what is established (a city). Ethically, it cautions that outward splendor and organization do not necessarily indicate legitimacy or righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Duryodhana’s prior preparations: he had a camp arranged and decorated so thoroughly—like another Hastināpura—that even experienced city-dwellers could not tell whether they were seeing a camp or a city.