Shloka 52

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

Devanagari script

नानाशस्त्रसमायुक्ता नानाकुण्डलधारिण:

Transliteration

nānāśastrasamāyuktā nānākuṇḍaladhāriṇaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Mereka diperlengkapi dengan pelbagai jenis senjata dan memakai subang dengan aneka ragam bentuk—gambaran para pahlawan yang berhias lengkap untuk medan perang, di mana kemegahan lahiriah dan kesiagaan tempur berdiri berlawanan tajam dengan harga batin yang dituntut oleh keganasan.

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.