Shloka 20

Devanagari script

पदातयश्च ये शूरा: कार्मुकासिगदाधरा: । सहस््रशो<न्वयु: पश्चादग्रतश्न सहस्रश:,धनुष, बाण, खड़ग और गदा धारण करनेवाले जो पैदल सैनिक थे, वे सहस्रोंकी संख्यामें सेनाके आगे और पीछे चलते थे

Transliteration

padātayaś ca ye śūrāḥ kārmukāsigadādharāḥ | sahasraśo 'nvayuḥ paścād agrataś ca sahasraśaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: Os bravos soldados de infantaria —portando arcos, espadas e maças— marchavam aos milhares, tanto à frente do exército quanto atrás dele, formando telas protetoras enquanto a hoste avançava.

Word by Word

पदातयःfoot-soldiers

चand

येwho/which

शूराःbrave (men)

कार्मुकासिगदाधराःbearing bows, swords, and maces

सहस्रशःby thousands; in thousands

अन्वयुःfollowed; marched along

पश्चात्behind; afterwards

अग्रतःin front; ahead

चand

सहस्रशःby thousands; in thousands

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

infantry (padātayaḥ)

bow (kārmuka)

sword (asi)

mace (gadā)

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?

The verse highlights disciplined martial order: courage is paired with organized protection of the host, reflecting the kṣatriya ideal that force should be structured and directed rather than chaotic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the army’s movement: thousands of armed foot-soldiers advance as vanguards and rearguards, surrounding the main force to secure it during the march.