Shloka 5

Devanagari script

स्वदेशवेषाभरणा वीरा: शतसहस्रश: । तस्य सेनाप्रणेतारो बभूवु: क्षत्रियर्षभा:,राजन! महान्‌ बलवान्‌ और पराक्रमी शल्य अक्षौहिणी सेनाके स्वामी थे। सैकड़ों और हजारों वीर क्षत्रियशिरोमणि उनकी विशाल वाहिनीका संचालन करनेवाले सेनापति थे। वे सब-के-सब शौर्य-सम्पन्न, कवच धारण करनेवाले तथा विचित्र ध्वज एवं धनुषसे सुशोभित थे। उन सबके अंग में विचित्र आभूषण शोभा दे रहे थे। सभीके रथ और वाहन विचित्र थे। सबके गलेमें विचित्र मालाएँ सुशोभित थीं। सबके वस्त्र और अलंकार अद्भुत दिखायी देते थे। उन सबने अपने-अपने देशकी वेश-भूषा धारण कर रखी थी

Transliteration

svadeśaveṣābharaṇā vīrāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ | tasya senāpraṇetāro babhūvuḥ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“勇士以十万计——各自穿戴本国的服饰与饰物——聚集于彼处。为那支大军，刹帝利之中的翘楚遂为统帅与领袖。”

Word by Word

स्वदेशवेषाभरणाःwearing ornaments and dress of their own countries

वीराःheroes, warriors

शतसहस्रशःby hundreds and thousands; in hundreds of thousands

तस्यof him/that (of that one)

सेनाप्रणेतारःleaders/commanders of the army

बभूवुःbecame; were

क्षत्रियर्षभाःbulls among kshatriyas; best of warriors

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

kṣatriyas (warrior class)

senā (army/host)

senāpraṇetāraḥ (army commanders)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its social dimension: warriors from many regions assemble in disciplined order under recognized leaders. It underscores how political and military duty organizes diverse peoples into a single command structure, foreshadowing the ethical weight of collective action in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the mustering of a vast force: innumerable warriors arrive, marked by their regional attire and ornaments, and eminent kṣatriya chiefs take up roles as commanders directing the army.