Shloka 16

Adhyāya 195 — Arjuna’s Capability and Restraint Regarding Divyāstras

Udyoga Parva

Devanagari script

मध्यमे च विराटं च जयत्सेनं च पाण्डव:

Transliteration

madhyame ca virāṭaṃ ca jayatsenaṃ ca pāṇḍavaḥ, anvayātāṃ tadā madhye vāsudeva-dhanañjayau |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then the Pāṇḍava arranged King Virāṭa and Jayatsena in the middle of the formation; and in that central space Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) and Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) moved along, following behind the army. The scene underscores disciplined order in war: leadership and counsel remain at the heart of the host, so that power is guided by restraint and right judgment rather than mere force.

Word by Word

• मध्यमे: in the middle
• मध्यमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• विराटम्: Virāṭa (king Virata)
• विराटम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• जयत्सेनम्: Jayatsena
• जयत्सेनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जयत्सेन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• पाण्डवः: the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna / a Pandava)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अन्वयाताम्: let the two follow / let them proceed following
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-या
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada

• तदा: then, at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वासुदेव: Vāsudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेव: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• धनंजयौ: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), the two (Krishna and Arjuna)
• धनंजयौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍava
• Virāṭa
• Jayatsena
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• army (senā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, dharma expresses itself as order, restraint, and guided power: the presence of Kṛṣṇa with Arjuna at the center symbolizes that strength should be directed by wise counsel and ethical discernment, not by impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

A battle formation is being arranged: Virāṭa and Jayatsena are placed in the central division, while Kṛṣṇa (as charioteer/counselor) and Arjuna move in the midst, proceeding behind the army as it advances.