Shloka 16

Devanagari script

पुलिन्दांश्व॒ रणे जित्वा ययौ दक्षिणत: पुर: । युयुधे पाण्ड्यराजेन दिवसं नकुलानुज:

Transliteration

Pulindāṁś ca raṇe jitvā yayau dakṣiṇataḥ puraḥ | yuyudhe Pāṇḍyarājena divasaṁ Nakulānujaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having defeated the Pulindas in battle, Sahadeva—the younger brother of Nakula—advanced further toward the southern quarter. Thereafter he fought with the king of the Pāṇḍyas for the space of one day, continuing his campaign of conquest in accordance with the royal duty of subduing rival powers.

Word by Word

• पुलिन्दान्: Pulindas (a tribe/people)
• पुलिन्दान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलिन्द
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• जित्वा: having conquered
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• ययौ: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दक्षिणतः: southwards / to the south
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिणतस्

• पुरः: forward / ahead
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस्

• युयुधे: fought
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• पाण्ड्यराजेन: with the Pandya king
• पाण्ड्यराजेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्ड्यराज
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• दिवसम्: for a day / a day (duration)
• दिवसम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नकुलानुजः: Nakula's younger brother (Sahadeva)
• नकुलानुजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल-अनुज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pulindas
• Sahadeva
• Nakula
• Pāṇḍya king
• Dakṣiṇa (southern direction)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reflects kṣatriya-dharma in the context of a royal campaign: a prince advances methodically, subduing opponents to establish political order and sovereignty. The ethical frame is not personal enmity but the duty-bound conduct of warfare and governance within a larger statecraft objective.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sahadeva, after defeating the Pulindas, continues southward and then engages the Pāṇḍya king in battle for one full day, marking another stage in his southern expedition described in the Sabha Parva.