Shloka 23

Nakula’s Engagement with Citra-sena and Karṇa’s Sons; Śalya Re-stabilizes the Kaurava Host

Devanagari script

कबन्धशतसंकीर्ण छत्रचामरसंकुलम्‌ । सेनावनं तच्छुशुभे वन॑ पुष्पाचितं यथा

Transliteration

kabandhaśatasaṅkīrṇaṃ chatracāmarasaṅkulam | senāvanaṃ tac chuśubhe vanaṃ puṣpācitaṃ yathā ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ଶତଶଃ କବନ୍ଧରେ ସଂକୀର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଏବଂ ଛତ୍ର-ଚାମରରେ ସଂକୁଳ ସେଇ ସେନାରୂପୀ ବନ, ପୁଷ୍ପାଚିତ ବନ ପରି ଅଦ୍ଭୁତ ଭାବେ ଶୋଭିତ ହେଉଥିଲା।

Word by Word

• कबन्धशतसंकीर्णम्: strewn with hundreds of trunks
• कबन्धशतसंकीर्णम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कबन्धशतसंकीर्ण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• छत्रचामरसंकुलम्: crowded with umbrellas and yak-tail fans
• छत्रचामरसंकुलम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छत्रचामरसंकुल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सेनावनम्: the army-forest (the army like a forest)
• सेनावनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेनावन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शुशुभे: shone, appeared splendid
• शुशुभे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• वनम्: a forest
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुष्पाचितम्: covered with flowers
• पुष्पाचितम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्पाचित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• army (senā)
• parasol (chatra)
• yak-tail fan (cāmara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral paradox of war: outward splendor (royal umbrellas and ceremonial fans) can aesthetically ‘beautify’ a scene that is ethically horrific, reminding the listener not to confuse appearance with righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the appearance of the battlefield: it is littered with numerous headless bodies, yet crowded with royal insignia like parasols and cāmaras, making the army’s field look like a flower-strewn forest.