Shloka 16

पाण्डवसेनानायकाभिषेकः तथा बलरामागमन-उपदेशः | Appointment of Pandava Commanders and Balarama’s Counsel

Devanagari script

यथा रथास्तथा नागा बद्धकक्षा: स्वलंकृता: । बभूवु: सप्तपुरुषा रत्नवन्त इवाद्रय:,जिस प्रकार रथ सजाये गये थे, उसी प्रकार हाथियोंको भी स्वर्णमालाओंसे सुसज्जित किया गया था। उन सबको रस्सोंसे कसा गया था। उनपर सात-सात पुरुष बैठे हुए थे, जिससे वे हाथी रत्नयुक्त पर्वतोंके समान जान पड़ते थे

Transliteration

yathā rathās tathā nāgā baddhakakṣāḥ svalankṛtāḥ | babhūvuḥ saptapuruṣā ratnavanta ivādrayaḥ ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «Как были выстроены и украшены колесницы, так же великолепно украсили и слонов — золотыми гирляндами, туго стянув их подпругами и ремнями. На каждом сидело по семеро, и потому слоны казались горами, усыпанными драгоценностями».

Word by Word

यथाas, just as

रथाःchariots

तथाso, likewise

नागाःelephants

बद्धकक्षाःwith girths/straps fastened

स्वलङ्कृताःwell-adorned

बभूवुःbecame, were

सप्तseven

पुरुषाःmen

रत्नवन्तःpossessing jewels, jewel-studded

इवlike, as if

अद्रयःmountains

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

rathāḥ (chariots)

nāgāḥ (elephants)

sapta puruṣāḥ (seven men)

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 primarily conveys the epic’s attention to order, discipline, and preparedness: power (elephants, chariots) is not merely displayed but carefully secured and organized. The jewel-mountain simile underscores how martial grandeur can appear awe-inspiring, reminding readers that war is preceded by deliberate human arrangement and intent.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes the mustering and outfitting of forces: chariots are decorated, elephants are similarly adorned and tightly harnessed, and each elephant carries seven men. The scene emphasizes the scale and magnificence of the army’s preparations.