Shloka 5
पाण्डवसेनानायकाभिषेकः तथा बलरामागमन-उपदेशः | Appointment of Pandava Commanders and Balarama’s Counsel
सकचग्रहविक्षेपा: सतैलगुडवालुका: । साशीविषघटा: सर्वे ससर्जरसपांसव:
sakacagraha-vikṣepāḥ sa-tailaguḍa-vālukāḥ | sa-āśīviṣa-ghaṭāḥ sarve sa-sarjarasa-pāṃsavaḥ ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच—सर्वे ते कचग्राहविक्षेपैः सतैलगुडवालुकैः सुसज्जिताः; विषधरभुजगपूर्णघटांश्च रालमिश्रपांसूंश्च वहन्ति स्म—युद्धे युक्त्यावरणोपघातार्थं समुपहृतान्युपकरणानि द्रव्याणि च।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war-readiness often includes not only open weapons but also coercive devices and harmful stratagems; ethically, it highlights the moral descent that accompanies escalation toward battle, where ingenuity is turned toward injury rather than restraint.
A catalogue of war materials is being described: the forces are shown as fully outfitted with grappling/throwing devices and various supplies (oil, jaggery, sand), including jars containing venomous snakes and resin-dust—items suited for tactics, disruption, and causing harm.