Verse 7.193

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

कुरुक्षेत्रांश्च मत्स्यांश्च पञ्चालांशूरसेनजान् ।
दीर्घांल्लघूंश्चैव नरानग्रानीकेषु योजयेत् ॥ १९३ ॥

kurukṣetrāṃśca matsyāṃśca pañcālāṃśūrasenajān |
dīrghāṃllaghūṃścaiva narānagrānīkeṣu yojayet || 193 ||

Men born in the countries of Kurukṣhtra, Matsya, Pañcāla, and Śūrasena.—he shall make these fight in the vanguard; as also those that are tall and light.—(193)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Kurukṣetra’—is well known.

‘Matsya’—is the name of the Virāṭa country, near Nāgapura.

‘Pañcāla’—includes both the Kānyakubja and the Ahiccatra.

‘Born in Śūrasena’—i.e., in Mathurā.

Some of these words are denotative of origin; but the necessary affix has been dropped:

The people of these countries are mostly huge-bodied, powerful, broad-chested, brave, proud, irrepressible; and as such, when placed at the forefront of the battle, strike terror is the hearts of the enemies.

From among the people of other countries those have to be similarly stationed who are ‘tall’—,and having large bodies, are endowed with long breaths. Those that are ‘light’ are fearless, on account of being comparatively free from danger, being hidden by others and without being struck themselves, continue to strike and thus, without suffering injury, set an example to others—(193).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra; p. 402);—and in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 405).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Kāmandaka (18.8).—‘The low forest-tribes are by nature faithless, greedy and sinful; for this reason the weaned over troops of the enemy are better than they who are wild and undisciplined.’