Shloka 18

Devanagari script

ततोडन्‍्तरिक्षे सुरतूर्यनि:स्वना: ससाधुवादा हृषितै: समीरिता:

Transliteration

tato ’ntarikṣe sura-tūrya-niḥsvanāḥ sa-sādhu-vādā hṛṣitaiḥ samīritāḥ

Translation

Kemudian, di pertengahan langit, bergemalah bunyi sangkakala para dewa, disertai laungan pujian dan restu—dilaungkan oleh makhluk-makhluk yang diliputi kegembiraan.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अन्तरिक्षेin the sky/atmosphere

सुरतूर्यनिःस्वनाःsounds of divine instruments

ससाधुवादाःwith cries of approval ('well done')

हृषितैःby/with the delighted (ones)

समीरिताःwere raised/sounded

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Suras (gods)

Divine trumpets/war-instruments (tūrya)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse conveys that human actions—especially in a dharma-charged conflict—are not merely private or political; they are observed within a wider moral cosmos. Divine acclamation functions as a narrative sign that the event being described is, at least in that moment, regarded as righteous or fitting within the epic’s ethical framework.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an omen-like scene: in the sky, celestial instruments sound and joyful beings utter approving cries. This typically follows a significant turn in battle, highlighting heightened momentum and suggesting divine endorsement of what has just occurred.