Shloka 20

Indrajit’s Binding, Restoration by Viśalyā, and Counsel Restraining Rāvaṇa (Āraṇyaka Parva 273)

Devanagari script

तमुवाच घृणी राजा धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर: । तथा जयद्रथं दृष्टवा गृहीत॑ं सव्यसाचिना,उस समय (आदर देते हुए) अर्जुनने जयद्रथका हाथ थाम लिया। तब दयालु राजा धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिरने जयद्रथकी ओर देखकर कहा--

Transliteration

tam uvāca ghṛṇī rājā dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | tathā jayadrathaṃ dṛṣṭvā gṛhītaṃ savyasācinā |

Translation

Then the compassionate king Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Dharma, spoke. Seeing Jayadratha held fast by the ambidextrous Arjuna, he addressed him.

Word by Word

तम्him

उवाचsaid

घृणीcompassionate, merciful

राजाking

धर्मपुत्रःson of Dharma

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

तथाthus; then

जयद्रथम्Jayadratha

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

गृहीतम्seized, captured

सव्यसाचिनाby Savyasācin (Arjuna)

Speaker

भीमसेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Jayadratha

Arjuna (Savyasācin)

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?

Power over an enemy is not the end of dharma; it begins a moral trial. Yudhiṣṭhira’s compassion signals that righteous rule weighs punishment against justice and restraint, especially when the offender is already subdued.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna has seized Jayadratha, and Yudhiṣṭhira—described as compassionate—turns to address Jayadratha. The verse sets up Yudhiṣṭhira’s response to the captured offender, highlighting ethical judgment in a tense moment.