Mahabharata · 5.19.31-32
॥
Devanāgarī
एष देशः सुविस्तीर्णः प्रभूतधनधान्यवान् ॥
बभूव कौरवेयाणां बलेन सुसमाकुलः ॥
तत्र सैन्यं तथायुक्तं ददर्श स पुरोहितः ॥
यः स पाञ्चालराजेन प्रेषितः कौरवान् प्रति ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
eṣa deśaḥ suvistīrṇaḥ prabhūtadhanadhānyavān ||
babhūva kauraveyāṇāṃ balena susamākulaḥ ||
tatra sainyaṃ tathāyuktaṃ dadarśa sa purohitaḥ ||
yaḥ sa pāñcālarājena preṣitaḥ kauravān prati ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एषeṣathis; it
देशःdeśaḥland; region
सुविस्तीर्णःsuvistīrṇaḥvery extensive; widely spread
प्रभूतधनधान्यवान्prabhūtadhanadhānyavānrich in abundant wealth and grain; abounding in property and corn
बभूवbabhūvabecame; arose
कौरवेयाणांkauraveyāṇāṃof the Kauravas; of the descendants of Kuru
बलेनbalenawith the army; with the force
सुसमाकुलःsusamākulaḥthoroughly filled; densely occupied
तत्रtatrathere; in that place
सैन्यंsainyaṃthe army; the host
तथायुक्तंtathāyuktaṃthus arrayed; thus assembled
ददर्शdadarśasaw; beheld
सsahe; that one
पुरोहितःpurohitaḥthe family priest; the purohita
यःyaḥwho; which
सsahe; that one
पाञ्चालराजेनpāñcālarājenaby the king of Panchala; by the ruler of the Panchalas
प्रेषितःpreṣitaḥsent; dispatched
कौरवान्kauravānto the Kauravas; to the descendants of Kuru
प्रतिpratitowards; among
Translation
And this army, arrayed in such fashion, was beheld by the priest who had been sent by the king of the Panchalas to the Kurus.”
Version
d5e4ffa6e48c · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:31:49 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
This passage (5.19.31–32) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort toward peace is already unfolding against the backdrop of an unavoidable war. Here dharma reveals itself through speech, through the choice of an embassy, through faithfulness to one's word, and through the responsibility kings bear for the consequences of their decisions.