Shloka 23

Adhyāya 140: Rātriyuddhe Droṇa-prāpti-prayatnaḥ

Night engagement and the attempt to reach Droṇa

Devanagari script

तनुत्रै: सतलन्ैश्न हारैरनिष्किैश्व भारत । व्स्त्रैश्छत्रैश्न विध्वस्तैशज्ञामरव्यजनैरपि

Transliteration

tanutraiḥ satalaiś ca hārair aniṣkaiś ca bhārata | vastraiś chatraiś ca vidhvastaiś cāmaravyajanair api ||

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—ఓ భారతా! యుద్ధభూమి చిద్రమైన కవచాలు, శిరస్త్రాణాలు, విరిగిన హారాలు, స్వర్ణాభరణాలు, చినిగిన వస్త్రాలు, ధ్వంసమైన ఛత్రాలు, పడిపోయిన చామరాలు మరియు వ్యజనాలతో నిండిపోయి ఉండెను।

Word by Word

• तनुत्रैः: with body-guards/armours
• तनुत्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनुत्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सतलैः: with coverings/plates (protective layers)
• सतलैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सतल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• हारैः: with necklaces/garlands
• हारैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अनिष्कैः: with (gold) ornaments/coins (niṣka-type)
• अनिष्कैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिष्क
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वस्त्रैः: with garments
• वस्त्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• छत्रैः: with umbrellas
• छत्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• विध्वस्तैः: shattered/destroyed
• विध्वस्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विध्वस्त
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• चामरव्यजनैः: with yak-tail fans and hand-fans
• चामरव्यजनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चामर-व्यजन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• armor (tanutra)
• helmets (satalā)
• necklaces (hāra)
• gold ornaments (aniṣka)
• garments (vastra)
• parasols (chatra)
• cāmara-fans (cāmaravyajana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the impermanence of worldly grandeur: symbols of rank—armor, ornaments, parasols, and royal fans—are reduced to wreckage in war, implying an ethical warning against pride and attachment amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the aftermath on the battlefield to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, emphasizing the scattered, destroyed equipment and royal insignia, conveying the scale of devastation during the fighting in Droṇa Parva.