Shloka 17

Sainyasaṅgraha and Bhāga-Vyavasthā (Forces Assembled and Rival Allocations) | सैन्यसंग्रह-भागव्यवस्था

Devanagari script

महेष्वासा राजपुत्रा भ्रातर: पठ्च केकया: । केकयानेव भागेन कृत्वा योत्स्यन्ति संयुगे,पाँच भाई केकयराजकुमार भी महान धनुर्धर हैं। वे समरांगणमें अपने विरोधी केकयदेशीय योद्धाओंको ही अपना भाग (वध्य वैरी) मानकर युद्ध करेंगे

Transliteration

maheṣvāsā rājaputrā bhrātaraḥ pañca kekayāḥ | kekayān eva bhāgena kṛtvā yotsyanti saṃyuge ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: “Os cinco príncipes de Kekaya, irmãos e grandes arqueiros, lutarão na batalha, tomando os próprios Kekayas como a parte que lhes foi destinada—os adversários marcados para enfrentar e abater no choque das armas.”

Word by Word

महेष्वासाःgreat archers (having great bows)

राजपुत्राःprinces (sons of a king)

भ्रातरःbrothers

पञ्चfive

केकयाःthe Kekayas

केकयान्the Kekayas (as opponents)

एवindeed/only

भागेनas (their) share/portion; by way of share

कृत्वाhaving made/considered

योत्स्यन्तिthey will fight

संयुगेin battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Kekaya princes (five brothers)

Kekaya (people/realm)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames warfare in terms of kṣatriya obligation and ‘bhāga’—one’s allotted portion—suggesting that in a vast conflict each warrior meets the opponents assigned by circumstance, and must act with resolve within that role.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra about the forces and intentions of allied fighters: the five Kekaya princes, famed as archers, will enter the battle and specifically engage Kekaya-side opponents, regarding them as their designated adversaries in the coming war.