Shloka 54

Samrāt-Lakṣaṇa and the Counsel to Check Jarāsandha (सम्राट्-लक्षणं जरासन्ध-प्रतिबाधा-परामर्शः)

Devanagari script

त्रियोजनायतं सद्म त्रिस्कन्धं योजनावधि

Transliteration

triyojanāyataṃ sadma triskandhaṃ yojanāvadhi | raivatakī durgakī lambāī triyojanikā | ekaika-yojane senānāṃ tritridalāṇāṃ chāvanī | pratyeka-yojanānte śataśata-dvārāṇi senābhiḥ surakṣitāni | vīrāṇāṃ parākrama eva tasya gaḍhasya pradhāna-phāṭakaḥ | yuddhe unmattavat parākrama-pradarśakair aṣṭādaśa yādava-vaṃśyaiḥ kṣatriyaiḥ sa durgaḥ surakṣitaḥ ||

Translation

قال شري كريشنا (Śrī Kṛṣṇa): إن حصنَ رايفاتاكا (Raivataka) يمتد ثلاثةَ يوجَنات. وهو مُرتَّبٌ في ثلاث طبقات، وفي كل يوجَنة معسكراتٌ لثلاث فرقٍ من الجند. وعند نهاية كل يوجَنة مئةُ بابٍ تحرسها الجيوش. غير أن البابَ الأعظمَ الحقَّ لذلك المعقل هو بأسُ أبطاله. ويحميه ثمانيةَ عشرَ من كشاتريا آل يادافا (Yādava)، سُكارى بحماسة القتال، يُظهرون شجاعةً لا تعرف الخوف.

Word by Word

• त्रि-योजन-आयतम्: three-yojanas long
• त्रि-योजन-आयतम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रियोजनायत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सद्म: mansion/abode (structure)
• सद्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• त्रि-स्कन्धम्: having three sections/tiers
• त्रि-स्कन्धम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिस्कन्ध
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• योजन-अवधि: extending up to a yojana (as limit)
• योजन-अवधि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योजनावधि
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Raivataka
• Yādava Kṣatriyas (eighteen warriors)
• fortress (durga)
• gates (dvāra)
• army/troops (senā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage emphasizes that fortifications and gates matter, but the decisive protection of a realm is the disciplined valor and readiness of its defenders—an expression of kṣatriya-dharma where courage and martial competence function as the true ‘main gate’ of security.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes the stronghold at Raivataka: its three-yojana extent, tiered arrangement, troop encampments, and numerous guarded gates, concluding that it is ultimately safeguarded by the heroic prowess of eighteen Yādava Kṣatriyas.