Shloka 26

Aśvatthāmā’s Stuti of Rudra and Śiva’s Empowerment (सौप्तिकपर्व, अध्याय ७)

Devanagari script

मौज्जीधराश्न राजेन्द्र तथा कुज्चितमूर्थजा: । उष्णीषिणो मुकुटिनश्नारुवक्त्रा: स्वलड्कृता:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | mauñjīdharāś ca rājendra tathā kuñcitamūrdhajāḥ | uṣṇīṣiṇo mukuṭinaś cāruvaktrāḥ svalāṅkṛtāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: “Tâu Đại vương, có kẻ thắt đai bằng cỏ muñja; có kẻ tóc quăn. Có kẻ quấn khăn, có kẻ đội vương miện. Nhiều kẻ có dung mạo ưa nhìn, tuấn tú; và nhiều kẻ được trang sức bằng châu báu tinh xảo.”

Word by Word

• मौञ्जीधराः: wearing a muñja-girdle
• मौञ्जीधराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मौञ्जीधर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजेन्द्र: O king (lord of kings)
• राजेन्द्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• कुञ्चितमूर्धजाः: having curly head-hair
• कुञ्चितमूर्धजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुञ्चितमूर्धज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उष्णीषिणः: wearing turbans
• उष्णीषिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उष्णीषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मुकुटिनः: wearing crowns
• मुकुटिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुकुटिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चारुवक्त्राः: having beautiful faces
• चारुवक्त्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारुवक्त्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वलङ्कृताः: well-adorned
• स्वलङ्कृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + अलङ्कृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'rājendra')
• muñja-girdle (mauñjī)
• turban (uṣṇīṣa)
• crown/diadem (mukuṭa)
• ornaments (alaṅkāra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse offers no direct moral injunction; its ethical resonance lies in contrast: even those marked by status, beauty, and ornamentation are swept into the same violent aftermath of war. It underscores the fragility of worldly distinctions amid adharma-driven destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing to the king the varied appearance and attire of the people/warriors being seen—some with ritual belts, some with curly hair, some with turbans or crowns, many handsome and ornamented—setting a vivid scene within the grim events of the Sauptika episode.