Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अशबनुवंश्न युद्धाय निष्पतेत्‌ सह मन्त्रिभि:

Transliteration

aśvanūvaṁśna yuddhāya niṣpatet saha mantribhiḥ

Translation

“Let Aśvanūvaṁśna sally forth for battle, accompanied by his ministers.” The command frames war as an ordered undertaking, upheld by counsel rather than solitary impulse, and thus implies responsibility, deliberation, and accountability in the use of force.

Word by Word

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अनुबध्नीत: let him harness / should he yoke (after)
• अनुबध्नीत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-बन्ध्
• Form: Imperative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• युद्धाय: for battle
• युद्धाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Dative, Singular

• निष्पतेत्: should rush forth / should sally out
• निष्पतेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस्-पत्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सह: together with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• मन्त्रिभिः: with ministers/counsellors
• मन्त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

धघतयाट्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Aśvanūvaṁśna
• ministers (mantrin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when war is commanded, it should proceed with counsel and collective responsibility—action is to be guided by advisers (mantrin), not by isolated passion.

What is happening in the narrative?

A leader (the named speaker) orders Aśvanūvaṁśna to go out to battle, explicitly instructing that he be accompanied by ministers, indicating a formal, state-directed mobilization.