Shloka 18

भीष्मशिबिरगमनम् — Duryodhana’s Visit to Bhīṣma’s Camp and the Command Appeal

Devanagari script

कामवर्णजवैरश्वैरबहुभि: संवृतो नूप । ते हया: काञठ्चनापीडा नानावर्णा मनोजवा:

Transliteration

kāmavarṇajavair aśvair bahubhiḥ saṃvṛto nṛpa | te hayāḥ kāñcanāpīḍā nānāvarṇā manojavāḥ naraśreṣṭha ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：大王啊，他周围簇拥着许多骏马，色泽与脚力皆随人所愿。那些战马头戴金饰，疾如心念，毛色纷呈——正是王者威势与临战整备汇聚而成的景象。

Word by Word

• काम: desire; as wished
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative (as compound member), Singular (as stem)

• वर्ण: color
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative (as compound member), Singular (as stem)

• जव: speed
• Type: Noun
• Root: जव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative (as compound member), Singular (as stem)

• एः: by these
• एः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्वैः: with horses
• अश्वैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• संवृतः: surrounded; enclosed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-वृ (वृञ् वरणे) → संवृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नूप: O Nūpa (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नूप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ते: those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हयाः: horses
• हयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• काञ्चन: golden; gold
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (as compound member), Singular (as stem)

• आपीडाः: having head-ornaments/crests
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपीड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नाना: various; many kinds of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना

• वर्णाः: of various colors
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मनोजवाः: swift as the mind
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोजव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• nṛpa (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied addressee)
• Irāvān (from the provided Hindi gloss)
• horses (aśvāḥ/hayāḥ)
• golden head-ornaments (kāñcanāpīḍāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily paints a narrative image rather than stating a direct moral: the abundance, variety, and disciplined readiness of royal resources (swift, well-adorned horses) underscore how power and preparation are marshaled for war—hinting that external splendor serves the larger, ethically fraught arena of dharma and conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes to the king a warrior (contextually connected with Irāvān in the given gloss) being attended by many excellent horses—of desired colors and speeds—adorned with golden head-gear and moving with mind-like swiftness, emphasizing the grandeur and readiness of the forces on the battlefield.