Shloka 13

त्रिगर्त-मात्स्य-संग्रामः

The Trigarta–Matsya Engagement at Twilight

Devanagari script

शतसूर्य शतावर्त शतबिन्दु शताक्षिमत्‌

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: śatasūrya-śatāvarta-śatabindu-śatākṣimat matsyadeśake rājā virāṭaḥ abhedya-kalpaṃ nāma kavacaṃ jagrāha; yat kenāpi astrā-śastrena na chidyate. tasmin sūrya-sama-prabhāḥ śataṃ phullikāḥ, śatam āvartāḥ, śataṃ bindavaḥ (sūkṣma-cakrāṇi), śataṃ ca netra-sadṛśākārāṇi cakrāṇi nirmmitāni. aparaṃ ca adhaḥ-ūrdhvaṃ saugandhika-jātīyānāṃ śataṃ kamalākṛtayaḥ paṅkti-baddhā babhūvuḥ.

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: في أرض الماتسيا، ارتدى الملك فيرَاطَة درعًا يُدعى «أبهيدْيا-كالبا»، صُنع كأنه غير قابل للكسر—فلا سلاح، مقذوفًا كان أو مُمسكًا باليد، يستطيع أن يقطعه. وقد زُيّن بمئة نتوء لامع كالشمس، ومئة نقشٍ دوّامي، ومئة علامة دائرية دقيقة، ومئة هيئةٍ كالعجلة على صورة العيون. وفوق ذلك، من أسفل الدرع إلى أعلاه، ظهرت في صفوفٍ منتظمة صورُ مئة زهرة لوتسٍ عطرة.

Word by Word

• शतसूर्य: having a hundred suns (in brilliance)
• शतसूर्य: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शतसूर्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शतावर्त: having a hundred whorls/spirals
• शतावर्त: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शतावर्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शतबिन्दु: having a hundred dots/discs
• शतबिन्दु: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शतबिन्दु
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शताक्षिमत्: possessing a hundred eye-like (marks)
• शताक्षिमत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शताक्षिमत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मत्स्यदेशके: of the Matsya country
• मत्स्यदेशके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्यदेश
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विराटः: Virata
• विराटः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभेद्यकल्पम्: as if unbreakable/impervious
• अभेद्यकल्पम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभेद्यकल्प
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नामक: named/called
• नामक: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नामक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कवचम्: armor
• कवचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ग्रहण: taking/putting on (act of taking)
• ग्रहण: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रहण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृतवान्: did/undertook
• कृतवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), 3, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Virāṭa
• Matsyadeśa (Matsya kingdom)
• Abhedya-kalpa kavaca (invulnerable armor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights rājadharma in practice: a ruler must be equipped to protect the kingdom. The ‘invulnerable’ armor symbolizes preparedness and the obligation to shield subjects in times of danger, not merely personal glory.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes King Virāṭa of the Matsya realm putting on a famed, weapon-proof armor called Abhedya-kalpa, detailing its many sun-bright and lotus-like decorative motifs.