Shloka 2

Śikhaṇḍinī’s Disclosure, Drupada’s Counsel, and the Petition to Yakṣa Sthūṇākarṇa

Udyoga Parva 192

Devanagari script

पाण्डवेयस्य गाज़ेय यदेतत्‌ सैन्यमुद्यतम्‌ । प्रभूतनरनागाश्चं महारथसमाकुलम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | pāṇḍaveyasya gāṅgeya yad etat sainyam udyatam | prabhūta-nara-nāgāśvaṃ mahāratha-samākulam |

Translation

ഗാംഗേയാ! യുദ്ധത്തിനായി ഒരുങ്ങിനിൽക്കുന്ന പാണ്ഡവരുടെ ഈ സൈന്യത്തിൽ അനവധി പടയാളികളും ആനകളും കുതിരകളും ഉണ്ട്; മഹാരഥന്മാരാൽ അത് നിറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• पाण्डवेयस्य: of the son/descendant of Pāṇḍu (i.e., of the Pāṇḍava)
• पाण्डवेयस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डवेय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• गाङ्गेय: O Gāṅgeya (Bhīṣma, son of Gaṅgā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाङ्गेय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उद्यतम्: raised; ready; set forth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-यत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• प्रभूत: abundant; many
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभूत
• Form: —, —, —

• नर: men; foot-soldiers
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, —, —

• नागाः: elephants
• नागाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महारथ: great chariot-warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, —, —

• समाकुलम्: crowded; filled; thronged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाकुल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Gāṅgeya (Bhīṣma)
• Pāṇḍavas
• Pāṇḍava army
• mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)
• infantry (nara)
• war-elephants (nāga)
• horses/cavalry (aśva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models sober assessment before conflict: leadership must recognize the scale, composition, and strength of forces rather than act from pride or denial—an ethical prerequisite for responsible decision-making in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses Bhīṣma (Gāṅgeya) and reports that the Pāṇḍava host is fully mobilized, immense in numbers, and packed with elite chariot-warriors—signaling the seriousness and inevitability of the coming battle.