Shloka 23

Devanagari script

नकुल: सहदेवश्न द्रौपदेयाश्व॒ पञ्च ये । पज्चालाश्चानुयास्यन्ति शिखण्डी च महारथ:,नकुल, सहदेव, द्रौपदीके पाँच पुत्र, पंचालदेशीय क्षत्रिय तथा महारथी शिखण्डी--ये सब तुम्हारे पीछे-पीछे चलेंगे

Transliteration

nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca draupadeyāś ca pañca ye | pāñcālāś cānuyāsyanti śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

Thần Vāyu nói: “Nakula và Sahadeva, năm người con của Draupadī, các chiến binh Pāñcāla, và đại xa thủ Śikhaṇḍī—tất thảy sẽ theo sau ngươi.”

Word by Word

• नकुलः: Nakula
• नकुलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सहदेवः: Sahadeva
• सहदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्रौपदेयाः: the sons of Draupadi
• द्रौपदेयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौपदेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पाञ्चालाः: the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अनुयास्यन्ति: will follow
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-या
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• शिखण्डी: Shikhandi
• शिखण्डी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महारथः: a great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Draupadeya (the five sons of Draupadī)
• Pāñcālas (Pañcāla warriors/people)
• Śikhaṇḍī
• Vāyu (Vāyudeva, speaker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Righteous action in a grave undertaking (like war) is sustained by committed allies and shared responsibility; leadership is shown not only by going forward but by ensuring a disciplined, supportive following aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu enumerates the key companions—Nakula, Sahadeva, Draupadī’s five sons, the Pāñcāla forces, and Śikhaṇḍī—who will accompany and follow, signaling the formation and assurance of the Pāṇḍava-aligned coalition.