Shloka 42

Devanagari script

ततो रथाश्न बहुला नागाश्वसमलंकृता: । पादाताश्च हयाश्वैव पृष्ठठ: समनुव्रजन्‌,तदनन्तर इन सबके पीछे हाथी और घोड़ोंसे विभूषित बहुतसे रथी, पैदल और घुड़सवार सैनिक चल रहे थे

Transliteration

tato rathāś ca bahulā nāgāśva-samalankṛtāḥ | pādātāś ca hayāś caiva pṛṣṭhataḥ samanuvrajan ||

Translation

ต่อจากนั้น เบื้องหลังขบวนมีรถศึกเป็นอันมาก ประดับด้วยช้างและม้าเคลื่อนตามมา; และถัดไปด้านหลัง ทหารราบกับทหารม้าก็เดินตามเป็นลำดับอย่างมีระเบียบ

Word by Word

ततःthen/thereupon

रथाश्चand chariots

बहुलाःmany/abundant

नागाश्वसमलंकृताःadorned/equipped with elephants and horses

पादाताश्चand foot-soldiers

हयाश्चand horses/horsemen

एवindeed/also

पृष्ठतःfrom behind/behind

समनुव्रजन्followed/went along after

तदनन्तरम्after that/thereafter

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

ratha (chariots)

nāga (elephants)

aśva/haya (horses)

pādāta (infantry)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that collective power in a polity is expressed through disciplined arrangement—chariots, elephants, cavalry, and infantry moving in sequence—suggesting that order (niyama) and coordination are essential to responsible rule and the ethical use of force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a military movement or procession: numerous chariots equipped with elephants and horses advance, and behind them the infantry and cavalry follow, indicating a structured march of armed forces.