Shloka 15

Devanagari script

रक्तचन्दनदिग्धाड़ौ समदौ गोवृषाविव । चापविद्युद्ध्वजोपेतौ शस्त्रसम्पत्तियोधिनौ

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | raktacandanadigdhāṅgau samadau govṛṣāv iva | cāpavidyuddhvajopetau śastrasampattiyodhinau ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Kedua-dua lelaki laksana singa itu, anggota tubuhnya disapu pes cendana merah, berdiri setara, mabuk oleh semangat perang seperti dua lembu jantan yang gagah. Masing-masing lengkap dengan busur, panji yang berkilau seperti kilat, serta segala persenjataan—pahlawan yang sempurna dalam segala kelengkapan tempur.”

Word by Word

• रक्तचन्दनदिग्धाङ्गौ: the two whose limbs were smeared with red sandal paste
• रक्तचन्दनदिग्धाङ्गौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त-चन्दन-दिग्ध-अङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• समदौ: equally intoxicated/proud
• समदौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• गोवृषौ: two bulls (of the herd)
• गोवृषौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोवृष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• चापविद्युद्ध्वजोपेतौ: the two endowed with bows, lightning(-like radiance), and banners
• चापविद्युद्ध्वजोपेतौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चाप-विद्युत्-ध्वज-उपेत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• शस्त्रसम्पत्तियोधिनौ: two warriors possessing an array of weapons
• शस्त्रसम्पत्तियोधिनौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त्र-सम्पत्ति-योधिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• red sandalwood (raktacandana)
• bow (cāpa)
• banner/standard (dhvaja)
• weapons (śastra)
• lightning (vidyut)
• bulls (go-vṛṣa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the epic’s martial ideal: outward splendor and complete armament mirror inner resolve and pride. It also subtly warns that ‘mada’ (battle-intoxication/pride), though celebrated as valor, can propel warriors toward destructive confrontation when unchecked by dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two foremost chariot-warriors facing each other, equally radiant and fully equipped—likened to two powerful bulls in rut—setting the tone for an imminent, evenly matched clash.