Shloka 8

Śalya’s Consecration as Senāpati and Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira (शल्यस्य सेनापत्यभिषेकः)

Devanagari script

स्वज्रं प्रच्छन्नशिरसं कम्बुग्रीवं प्रियंवदम्‌ । व्याकोशपपक्राक्षं व्याप्रास्यं मेरुगौरवम्‌

Transliteration

svajaṃraṃ pracchannaśirasaṃ kambugrīvaṃ priyaṃvadam | vyākośapapakrakṣaṃ vyāprāsyaṃ merugauravam

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—అతని శిరస్సు ఆవరణతో కప్పబడినట్లు, కంఠము శంఖసమానము, వాక్కు మధురము; నేత్రములు విస్తారమై చంచలము, ముఖము ఉగ్రయత్నంలో విప్పబడినట్లు—మేరు పర్వతమువలె భారమూ గౌరవమూ కలవాడు.

Word by Word

• सु-वज्रम्: very hard/adamantine
• सु-वज्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रच्छन्न-शिरसम्: having a concealed head
• प्रच्छन्न-शिरसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रच्छन्नशिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कम्बु-ग्रीवम्: having a conch-like neck
• कम्बु-ग्रीवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कम्बुग्रीव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रियं-वदम्: sweet-speaking
• प्रियं-वदम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियंवद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• व्याकोश-पक्व-अक्षम्: having wide-open, ripened (reddish) eyes
• व्याकोश-पक्व-अक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याकोशपक्वाक्ष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• व्याप्रास्यम्: having a wide-open mouth
• व्याप्रास्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याप्रास्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मेरु-गौरवम्: having the heaviness/majesty of Meru
• मेरु-गौरवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेरुगौरव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Mount Meru

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how the battlefield magnifies appearances—majesty, terror, and auspicious bodily marks—testing inner steadiness. Ethical discernment (dharma-buddhi) must not be overwhelmed by mere outward power or fearsome spectacle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing a formidable figure seen in the war context, detailing physical traits—covered head, conch-like neck, pleasing speech, wide eyes, gaping mouth—and likening the person’s gravity and grandeur to Mount Meru.