Shloka 2

Brahmāstra-prayogaḥ: Daśagrīvasya Māyā-vadhaḥ

Rāma–Rāvaṇa Encounter under Illusion

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं कृष्णां मोक्षयित्वा विनिर्जित्य जयद्रथम्‌ । आसांचक्रे मुनिगणैर्धर्मराजो युधिषिर:,वैशम्पायनजी बोले--जनमेजय! इस प्रकार जयद्रथको जीतकर द्रौपदीको छुड़ा लेनेके पश्चात्‌ धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर मुनिमण्डलीके साथ बैठे हुए थे

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca evaṃ kṛṣṇāṃ mokṣayitvā vinirjitya jayadratham | āsāñcakre munigaṇair dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having thus rescued Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) and decisively defeated Jayadratha, Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira sat down together with the assembled company of sages.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaishampayana

उवाचsaid

एवम्thus

कृष्णाम्Krishna (Draupadi)

मोक्षयित्वाhaving released

विनिर्जित्यhaving completely conquered

जयद्रथम्Jayadratha

आसाम्sat

चक्रेdid/made (i.e., took up the act of sitting)

मुनिगणैःwith groups of sages

धर्मराजःDharma-king (Yudhishthira)

युधिष्ठिरःYudhishthira

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)

Jayadratha

Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira

munigaṇa (assemblage of sages)

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?

Even after a justified act of force—rescuing the wronged and defeating the offender—the dharmic ruler returns to composure and seeks the guidance of sages. Dharma is shown as protection plus restraint, not mere victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Draupadī has been freed and Jayadratha has been defeated, Yudhiṣṭhira sits with a gathering of sages, indicating a transition from immediate action to reflection and counsel.