Shloka 12

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)

Devanagari script

मत्स्यराज: परामृष्ट स्त्रिगर्तेन सुशर्मणा । तं मोचय महाबाहो न गच्छेद्‌ द्विषतां वशम्‌,“महाबाहो! त्रिगर्तराज सुशर्माने मत्स्यराजको पकड़ लिया है। उन्हें शीघ्र छुड़ाओ; जिससे वे शत्रुओंके वशमें न पड़ जायँ

Transliteration

matsyarājaḥ parāmṛṣṭaḥ strigartena suśarmaṇā | taṃ mocaya mahābāho na gacched dviṣatāṃ vaśam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Der König der Matsyas ist von Suśarman, dem Herrscher der Trigartas, ergriffen worden. O Mächtigarmiger, befreie ihn unverzüglich, damit er nicht in die Gewalt der Feinde gerät.“

Word by Word

मत्स्यराजःthe king of Matsya (Virata)

परामृष्टःseized, grasped

त्रिगर्तेनby the Trigarta (king/warrior)

सुशर्मणाby Susharman

तम्him

मोचयrelease (him)!

महाबाहोO mighty-armed one

नnot

गच्छेत्may (he) go / fall (into)

द्विषताम्of enemies

वशम्control, power, subjection

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Matsyarāja (King of Matsya/Virāṭa)

Trigarta

Suśarman

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?

A kṣatriya’s dharma includes swift protection of an ally and preventing a righteous king from being humiliated or subjugated by enemies; delay in such rescue is treated as a moral and political failure.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Virāṭa episode, the Matsya king has been captured by Suśarman of the Trigartas; the speaker urges the addressed hero to free the king immediately so he does not remain in enemy control.