Shloka 18

Devanagari script

सा तु ध्याता महाराज ऋषिभ: सत्रयाजिभि: । समागतानां राजेन्द्र साहाय्यार्थ महात्मनाम्‌

Transliteration

sā tu dhyātā mahārāja ṛṣibhiḥ satrayājibhiḥ | samāgatānāṃ rājendra sahāyārthaṃ mahātmanām ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “But she, O great king, was contemplated by the seers who were performing sacrificial sessions; and she came together with them, O lord of kings, to aid those high-souled ones who had assembled.”

Word by Word

साshe

तुbut/indeed

ध्याताa meditator; one who contemplated

महाराजO great king

ऋषिभिःby/with sages

सत्रयाजिभिःby/with performers of satra-sacrifices

समागतानाम्of those who had assembled

राजेन्द्रO king of kings

साहाय्यार्थम्for the purpose of assistance

महात्मनाम्of the great-souled ones

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya (implied by vocatives mahārāja/rājendra)

Ṛ

ṛṣis (sages)

satrayājins (performers of satra-sacrifice)

mahātmans (high-souled persons)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the efficacy of concentrated contemplation and sacrificial discipline: the righteous, acting in concert (satra), draw supportive forces toward the welfare of noble aims—suggesting that spiritual effort is meant to culminate in assistance to dharmic undertakings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a ‘she’ who is invoked/remembered by sages engaged in a satra; in response, she joins the assembled great-souled ones specifically to provide them help, indicating a moment where ascetic-sacrificial action leads to timely support.