Shloka 18

Devanagari script

शितैरवाकिरद्‌ बाणै: कलिड्डानां वरूथिनीम्‌ । कालिड्रस्तु महेष्वास: पुत्रश्नास्य महारथ:

Transliteration

śitair avākirad bāṇaiḥ kaliḍḍānāṃ varūthinīm | kāliḍras tu maheṣvāsaḥ putraśnāsya mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

शितैरवाकिरद् बाणैः कलिङ्गानां वरूथिनीम् । कालिङ्गस्तु महेष्वासः पुत्रश्नास्य महारथः ॥

Word by Word

शितैःwith sharp

अवाकिरत्showered, covered (with missiles)

बाणैःwith arrows

कलिङ्गानाम्of the Kalingas

वरूथिनीम्army, host

कालिङ्गःthe Kalinga (king/warrior)

तुbut, however

महेष्वासःgreat bowman

पुत्रश्नास्यPutraśnāsa (name/epithet)

महारथःgreat chariot-warrior

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Kaliḍḍas (people/warriors)

Kāliḍra

Putraśnā

arrows (bāṇa)

army/battle-array (varūthinī)

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 highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness under pressure: disciplined courage and duty are measured not by ease but by endurance when faced with overwhelming force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior showers the Kaliḍḍa battle-host with sharp arrows, while Kāliḍra—described as a mighty archer and great chariot-warrior, son of Putraśnā—stands as the notable opponent in that exchange.