Shloka 45

Varṣa-Parvata-Nivāsinām Varnanam

Description of Regions, Mountains, and Their Inhabitants

Devanagari script

वारवास्यायवाहाश्च चक्राश्चक्रातय: शका: । विदेहा मगधा: स्वक्षा मलजा विजयास्तथा

Transliteration

vārvāsyāyavāhāś ca cakrāś cakrātayaḥ śakāḥ | videhā magadhāḥ svakṣā malajā vijayās tathā ||

Translation

सञ्जय उवाच—वारवास्यायवाहाश्च चक्राश्चक्रातयः शकाः । विदेहा मगधाः स्वक्षाः मलजाः विजयास्तथा ॥

Word by Word

• वारवास्यायवाहाः: the Vāravāsyāyavāhas (a people/tribe)
• वारवास्यायवाहाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारवास्यायवाह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• चक्राः: the Cakras (a people/tribe)
• चक्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चक्रातयः: the Cakrātayas (a people/tribe)
• चक्रातयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रातय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शकाः: the Śakas (Scythians)
• शकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विदेहाः: the Videhas
• विदेहाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदेह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मगधाः: the Magadhas
• मगधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मगध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वक्षाः: the Svakṣas (a people/tribe)
• स्वक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मलजाः: the Malajas (a people/tribe)
• मलजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मलज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विजयाः: the Vijayas (a people/tribe)
• विजयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Vārvāsyas
• Ayavāhas
• Cakras
• Cakrātayas
• Śakas
• Videhas
• Magadhas
• Svakṣas
• Malajas
• Vijayās
• Videha
• Magadha
• Malaya (implied by Malajāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

By listing many peoples drawn into the conflict, the verse highlights the expansive social and moral reach of war: a single dynastic struggle implicates numerous communities, reminding the listener that participation in adharma-laden violence spreads consequences far beyond the principal actors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya continues enumerating the various peoples and regional groups present among the assembled forces, extending the catalogue of contingents that have gathered for the Kurukṣetra war.