Shloka 14

Devanagari script

वर्मिणौ बद्धनिस्त्रिंशौ श्वेताश्लौ शड्खशोभितौ । तूणीरवरसम्पन्नौ द्वावप्येती सुदर्शनी

Transliteration

varmiṇau baddha-nistriṁśau śvetāśvau śaṅkha-śobhitau | tūṇīra-vara-sampannau dvāv apy etī sudarśanī ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Cả hai chiến sĩ rực rỡ ấy đều mặc giáp và đeo kiếm nơi thắt lưng. Ngựa của họ trắng như tuyết, xe được trang sức bằng ốc; mỗi người đều có một ống tên thượng hạng. Đẹp đẽ khi nhìn, họ hiện ra như những chiến xa vô song—ngang nhau về vẻ huy hoàng và sự sẵn sàng, nhưng trong lòng chỉ nung nấu ý chí khuất phục đối phương.

Word by Word

• वर्मिणौ: armored (two)
• वर्मिणौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्मिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• बद्ध-निस्त्रिंशौ: having swords fastened (at the waist)
• बद्ध-निस्त्रिंशौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्धनिस्त्रिंश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• श्वेत-अश्वौ: with white horses / white-horsed (two)
• श्वेत-अश्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेताश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• शङ्ख-शोभितौ: adorned with conches
• शङ्ख-शोभितौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्खशोभित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तूणीर-वर-सम्पन्नौ: endowed with excellent quivers
• तूणीर-वर-सम्पन्नौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तूणीरवरसम्पन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

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

• एते: these two
• एते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• सु-दर्शनी: good-looking / handsome
• सु-दर्शनी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदर्शन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• two warriors (dvau)—contextually the two opposing mahārathas
• armour (varman)
• sword (nistriṁśa)
• white horses (śvetāśva)
• conch (śaṅkha)
• quiver (tūṇīra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how war amplifies external splendour and martial preparedness while concealing the inner danger of mutual hatred and pride; ethical reflection arises from seeing equally matched heroes driven toward reciprocal destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two magnificent chariot-warriors facing battle: both armoured, sword-girt, with white horses, conches, and fine quivers—presented as visually equal and fully equipped for imminent combat.