Mahabharata — Vana Parva, Shloka 473

Draupadī-apaharaṇa-saṃdeśaḥ

Report of Draupadī’s Abduction and the Pāṇḍavas’ Pursuit

Devanagari script

व्यपेता भ्रघने काले द्यौरिवाव्यक्तशारदी । शत छत्र, पताका, शुभ चँवर, रथ, हाथी और पैदल योद्धाओंसे भरी हुई वह कौरव- सेना शरत्कालमें कुछ-कुछ व्यक्त शारदीय सुषमासे सुशोभित आकाशकी भाँति शोभा पा रही थी

Transliteration

vyapetā bhraghane kāle dyaur ivāvyaktaśāradī | śata-chatra-patākā-śubha-cāmara-ratha-hastī-padāti-yoddhaiḥ pūrṇā sā kaurava-senā śaratkāle kiñcid-kiñcid vyakta-śāradīya-suṣamā-yuktā dyām iva śobhāṃ prāpa |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: Apabila kelam pekat musim itu telah berlalu, bala tentera Kaurava—dipenuhi ratusan payung kebesaran, panji-panji, kipas ekor yak (cāmara) yang membawa tuah, kereta perang, gajah dan askar berjalan kaki—tampak gemilang. Seperti langit musim luruh yang beransur-ansur menjadi jernih dan indah, demikianlah tentera itu pada musim luruh bersinar dengan seri yang nyata dan teratur, seakan ketenangan yang mendahului keganasan perang.

Word by Word

• व्यपेता: departed, passed away
• व्यपेता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+अपि (धातु: इ/एति) → व्यपेत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भ्रघने: in the dense/dark (time)
• भ्रघने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रघन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• काले: in time/season
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• द्यौः: the sky
• द्यौः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• अव्यक्त: indistinct, not clearly manifest
• अव्यक्त: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शारदी: autumnal
• शारदी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kaurava army (Kaurava-senā)
• parasols (chatra)
• banners (patākā)
• yak-tail fans (cāmara)
• chariots (ratha)
• elephants (hastī)
• infantry/foot-soldiers (padāti)
• autumn sky (śāradī dyauḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how outward splendor and orderly appearance can mask impending conflict: the army’s beauty is compared to the clear autumn sky, implying a calm, attractive surface that may precede destructive action. It invites discernment—do not equate magnificence with righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the Kaurava forces as they appear in autumn: richly equipped with royal emblems and the full array of war-units (chariots, elephants, infantry). The simile of the autumn sky emphasizes their striking visibility and grandeur.