Shloka 47

Draupadī-apaharaṇa-saṃdeśaḥ

Report of Draupadī’s Abduction and the Pāṇḍavas’ Pursuit

Devanagari script

श्वेतच्छत्रै: पताकाभि ्षामरैश्न सुपाण्डुरै: । रथैनगि: पदातैश्न शुशुभेडतीव संकुला

Transliteration

śvetacchattraiḥ patākābhiḥ ṣāmaraiś ca supāṇḍuraiḥ | rathair nāgaiḥ padātaiś ca śuśubhe ’tīva saṅkulā ||

Translation

తెల్లని ఛత్రాలు, పతాకాలు, అతి తెల్లని చామరాలతో అలంకృతమై, రథాలు, గజాలు, పదాతులతో గట్టిగా కిక్కిరిసి ఉన్న ఆ సమూహం అత్యంత ప్రకాశంతో శోభించింది.

Word by Word

श्वेतच्छत्रैःwith white umbrellas

पताकाभिःwith banners/flags

चामरैःwith yak-tail fans

सुपाण्डुरैःvery pale/bright-white

रथैःwith chariots

नागैःwith elephants

पदातैःwith foot-soldiers/infantry

शुशुभेshone/was splendid

अतीवexceedingly

संकुलाcrowded/thronged

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

white parasols (śvetacchattra)

banners/flags (patākā)

fly-whisks (cāmara)

chariots (ratha)

elephants (nāga)

foot-soldiers/infantry (padāti)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how royal authority and collective power are displayed through symbols (parasols, banners, attendants) and through the organized presence of the fourfold forces (chariots, elephants, infantry). It implicitly contrasts outward splendor with the weight of responsibility that accompanies such power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a grand, densely gathered martial or royal assembly. The crowd is visually striking—bright with white insignia and packed with chariots, elephants, and foot-soldiers—conveying the scale and magnificence of the gathering.