Mahabharata — Udyoga Parva, Shloka 5

अध्याय ८ — शल्यस्य सत्कारः, वरदानं, पाण्डवसमागमश्च (Śalya’s Reception, the Boon, and Meeting the Pāṇḍavas)

Devanagari script

स्वदेशवेषाभरणा वीरा: शतसहस्रश: । तस्य सेनाप्रणेतारो बभूवु: क्षत्रियर्षभा:

Transliteration

svadeśaveṣābharaṇā vīrāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ | tasya senāpraṇetāro babhūvuḥ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Mga bayani na umaabot sa daan-daang libo—bawat isa’y nakasuot ng kasuotan at palamuting ayon sa sariling lupain—ay nagtipon doon. Para sa hukbong iyon, ang mga pinakadakila sa hanay ng kṣatriya ang naging mga kumander at pinuno.

Word by Word

• स्वदेशवेषाभरणाः: wearing ornaments and dress of their own countries
• स्वदेशवेषाभरणाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वदेश-वेष-आभरण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वीराः: heroes, warriors
• वीराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शतसहस्रशः: by hundreds and thousands; in hundreds of thousands
• शतसहस्रशः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतसहस्रशस्

• तस्य: of him/that (of that one)
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सेनाप्रणेतारः: leaders/commanders of the army
• सेनाप्रणेतारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना-प्रणेतृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बभूवुः: became; were
• बभूवुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• क्षत्रियर्षभाः: bulls among kshatriyas; best of warriors
• क्षत्रियर्षभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• kṣatriyas (warrior class)
• senā (army/host)
• senāpraṇetāraḥ (army commanders)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its social dimension: warriors from many regions assemble in disciplined order under recognized leaders. It underscores how political and military duty organizes diverse peoples into a single command structure, foreshadowing the ethical weight of collective action in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the mustering of a vast force: innumerable warriors arrive, marked by their regional attire and ornaments, and eminent kṣatriya chiefs take up roles as commanders directing the army.