Shloka 15

Nahūṣa as Ajagara: Virtue Hierarchy, Karmic Gati, and the Psychology of Mind–Intellect

Devanagari script

सुखोषितास्तत्र त एकरात्र॑ सूतान्‌ समादाय रथांश्व सर्वान्‌ घटोत्कचं सानुचरं विसृज्य ततोभ्ययुर्यामुनमद्रिराजम्‌,वहाँ उन सबने एक रात बड़े सुखसे निवास किया। पाण्डवोंने अपने सारे सारथियों तथा रथोंको साथ ले लिया और अनुचरोंसहित घटोत्कचको विदा करके वहाँसे पर्वतराजको प्रस्थान किया जहाँ यमुनाका उद्गम-स्थान है

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: sukhoṣitās tatra te ekarātram sūtān samādāya rathāśvān sarvān ghaṭotkacaṃ sānucaraṃ visṛjya tato ’bhyayur yāmunam adrirājam.

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having spent one night there in comfort, they gathered all their charioteers, along with their chariots and horses. Then, dismissing Ghaṭotkaca together with his attendants, they set out for the king of mountains by the Yamunā—toward the place where the river has its source.

Word by Word

• {'sukhoṣitāḥ': 'having dwelt comfortably

• having stayed in ease', 'tatra': 'there', 'te': 'they (the Pāṇḍavas and their party)', 'ekarātram': 'for one night', 'sūtān': 'charioteers', 'samādāya': 'having taken along

• having gathered', 'ratha': 'chariot', 'aśva': 'horse', 'sarvān': 'all', 'Ghaṭotkacam': 'Ghaṭotkaca (Bhīma’s son, a rākṣasa hero)', 'sānucaram': 'together with attendants/followers', 'visṛjya': 'having dismissed

• having sent away', 'tataḥ': 'then

• from there', 'abhyayuḥ': 'they went forth

• they set out', 'yāmunam': 'connected with the Yamunā

• the Yamunā-region/source area', 'adrirājam': 'king of mountains (a great mountain

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• sūtas (charioteers)
• rathas (chariots)
• aśvas (horses)
• Ghaṭotkaca
• anucaras (attendants)
• Yamunā
• adrirāja (king of mountains; mountain at Yamunā’s source)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prudent leadership in exile: rest when appropriate, organize essential resources (charioteers, chariots, horses), and manage alliances wisely by sending a powerful ally (Ghaṭotkaca) back with his attendants when his presence is not required, avoiding unnecessary burden or risk.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a comfortable one-night stay, the Pāṇḍavas assemble their transport and personnel, then bid farewell to Ghaṭotkaca and his followers, and proceed toward the mountainous region associated with the Yamunā’s source.