Shloka 6

त्रिगर्त-मात्स्य-संग्रामः

The Trigarta–Matsya Engagement at Twilight

Devanagari script

शूरै: परिवृतं योधै: कुण्डलाड्रदधारिभि: । संवृतं मन्सत्रिभि: सार्थ पाण्डवैश्व महात्मभि:

Transliteration

śūraiḥ parivṛtaṃ yodhaiḥ kuṇḍalādradadhāribhiḥ | saṃvṛtaṃ manstratribhiḥ sārtha pāṇḍavaiś ca mahātmabhiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Die Schar war von tapferen Kriegern umringt, mit Ohrringen geschmückt und Waffen tragend; auch war sie von Ratgebern und Gefolgsleuten umgeben und von den großherzigen Pāṇḍavas begleitet.

Word by Word

शूरैःby/with the brave (men)

परिवृतम्surrounded

योधैःby warriors

कुण्डलear-ornament, earring

आयुधweapon

धारिभिःby bearers (wearing earrings and bearing weapons)

संवृतम्enclosed, surrounded

मन्त्रिभिःby ministers/counsellors

सार्थम्together with

पाण्डवैःby the Pāṇḍavas

चand

महात्मभिःby great-souled (ones)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍavas

warriors (yodhāḥ)

ministers/counsellors (mantriṇaḥ)

earrings (kuṇḍalāni)

weapons (āyudhāni)

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 disciplined power: noble leaders are not merely strong, but properly supported—by protectors (warriors) and by wise guidance (counsellors). In dharmic governance, strength is ethically directed through counsel and orderly retinue.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes a scene of guarded movement or assembly: a central party is encircled by armed, ornamented warriors and accompanied by ministers and attendants, with the great-souled Pāṇḍavas present—signaling preparation, security, and the gravity of the unfolding events.