Shloka 26

सैन्यसंनिवेशः (Sainyasaṃniveśaḥ) — Deployment, Omens, and Yuddha-Dharma Conventions

Devanagari script

ततस्ते समयं चक्र: कुरुपाण्डवसोमका:

Transliteration

tataste samayaṃ cakruḥ kurupāṇḍavasomakāḥ

Translation

于是，俱卢族、般度族与娑摩迦诸王彼此订立盟约，确立既定条款与共识，规定即将到来的战争将如何展开——表明即便在战场之上，也有为人承认的规制与共同的决断。

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पञ्चमी-अर्थे: 'from/thereafter')

• ते: they/those (people)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• समयम्: agreement/compact
• समयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चक्रुः: made/formed
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (करणे)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• कुरु-पाण्डव-सोमकाः: the Kurus, the Pandavas, and the Somakas
• कुरु-पाण्डव-सोमकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु + पाण्डव + सोमक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kurus
• Pāṇḍavas
• Somakas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that even amid the approach of war, rulers and armies recognized binding conventions (samaya). This points to a dharmic ideal: conflict should be governed by agreed rules and restraint rather than unchecked violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the opposing forces assemble, the Kurus, Pāṇḍavas, and their allies (Somakas) establish an agreement—an understanding about the conduct or terms surrounding the coming battle.