Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तथैव भ्रातर: पञठ्च पाण्डवा: पुरुषर्षभा:

Transliteration

tathaiva bhrātaraḥ pañca pāṇḍavāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ

Translation

Do mesmo modo, os cinco irmãos—os Pāṇḍavas—são touros entre os homens, varões excelsos.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in the same manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: Avyaya (invariable)

• एव: indeed, just, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: Avyaya (invariable)

• भ्रातरः: brothers
• भ्रातरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Numeral (indeclinable)

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• पुरुषर्षभाः: bulls among men; best of men
• पुरुषर्षभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Pāṇḍavas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights exemplary human excellence expressed through the Pāṇḍavas’ collective identity as “foremost of men,” implying that true nobility is not merely individual prowess but also shared virtue and solidarity among brothers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva, speaking within the Udyoga Parva context of rising tensions before the Kurukṣetra war, points to the five Pāṇḍava brothers and characterizes them as outstanding heroes, reinforcing their reputation and moral standing.