Shloka 23

Devanagari script

नकुल: सहदेवश्न द्रौपदेयाश्व॒ पञ्च ये । पज्चालाश्चानुयास्यन्ति शिखण्डी च महारथ:,नकुल, सहदेव, द्रौपदीके पाँच पुत्र, पंचालदेशीय क्षत्रिय तथा महारथी शिखण्डी--ये सब तुम्हारे पीछे-पीछे चलेंगे

Transliteration

nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca draupadeyāś ca pañca ye | pāñcālāś cānuyāsyanti śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu berkata: “Nakula dan Sahadeva, lima putera Draupadī, para pahlawan Pāñcāla, dan mahāratha Śikhaṇḍī—semuanya akan mengikuti di belakangmu.”

Word by Word

नकुलःNakula

सहदेवःSahadeva

द्रौपदेयाःthe sons of Draupadi

चand

पञ्चfive

येwho

पाञ्चालाःthe Panchalas

चand

अनुयास्यन्तिwill follow

शिखण्डीShikhandi

चand

महारथःa great chariot-warrior

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nakula

Sahadeva

Draupadeya (the five sons of Draupadī)

Pāñcālas (Pañcāla warriors/people)

Śikhaṇḍī

Vāyu (Vāyudeva, speaker)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Righteous action in a grave undertaking (like war) is sustained by committed allies and shared responsibility; leadership is shown not only by going forward but by ensuring a disciplined, supportive following aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu enumerates the key companions—Nakula, Sahadeva, Draupadī’s five sons, the Pāñcāla forces, and Śikhaṇḍī—who will accompany and follow, signaling the formation and assurance of the Pāṇḍava-aligned coalition.