Shloka 7
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
Devanagari script
रथैरनेकसाहस्रै: कलिड्रानां नराधिप । अयुतेन गजानां च निषादै: सह केतुमान्
Transliteration
rathair aneka-sāhasraiḥ kaliṅgānāṁ narādhipa | ayutena gajānāṁ ca niṣādaiḥ saha ketumān ||
Translation
桑阇耶说道：“大王啊，计都曼率领迦陵伽人的数千战车前进，又带着一万头战象，并有尼沙陀人随行。”
Word by Word
रथैःwith chariots
रथैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
अनेकसाहस्रैःwith many thousands (of)
अनेकसाहस्रैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootअनेकसाहस्र
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
कलिड्राणाम्of the Kalidras (a people/tribe)
कलिड्राणाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकलिड्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
नराधिपO king (lord of men)
नराधिप:
TypeNoun
Rootनराधिप
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
अयुतेनwith ten thousand
अयुतेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअयुत
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
गजानाम्of elephants
गजानाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootगज
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
निषादैःwith Niṣādas (a people/tribe)
निषादैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootनिषाद
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
सहtogether with
सह:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसह
केतुमान्Ketumān (the bannered one; proper name)
केतुमान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकेतुमत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaN
Narādhipa (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)K
KetumānK
KaliṅgasN
NiṣādasC
ChariotsE
ElephantsCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the epic’s ethical backdrop of war: rulers marshal vast, diverse forces through alliances, highlighting how political power and collective choices amplify the scale and consequences of conflict.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Ketumān is advancing as part of the war host, bringing many thousands of Kaliṅga chariots and a contingent of ten thousand elephants, along with Niṣāda fighters.