Shloka 17

Virāṭa’s Mobilization to Recover the Cattle (गोधनरक्षणार्थ विराटस्य सैन्यसमायोजनम्)

Devanagari script

सम्मन्त्रय चाशु गच्छाम: साधनार्थ महीपते: । किं च नः पाण्डवै: कार्य हीनार्थवलपौरुषै:

Transliteration

sammantrya cāśu gacchāmaḥ sādhanārtha mahīpateḥ | kiṃ ca naḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ kāryaṃ hīnārthabalapauruṣaiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “After taking counsel among ourselves, we should set out at once to bring King Virāṭa under our control. And what need have we of the Pāṇḍavas? They are deficient in wealth, strength, and manly prowess.”

Word by Word

• सम्मन्त्र्य: having consulted
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + मन्त्र्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

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

• आशु: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु

• गच्छामः: we go / let us go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: लट् (present), 1, plural, परस्मैपदम्

• साधनार्थम्: for the purpose of subduing/bringing under control
• साधनार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधनार्थ
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• महीपतेः: of the king (Virāṭa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपतिः
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• च: and / moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नः: for us / to us
• नः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: genitive/dative, plural

• पाण्डवैः: with/by the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• कार्यम्: business, need, purpose
• कार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• हीनार्थबलपौरुषैः: deficient in wealth, strength, and valor
• हीनार्थबलपौरुषैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीनार्थबलपौरुष
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Virāṭa
• Pāṇḍavas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a political mindset that measures people only by resources and force, dismissing ethical considerations and the latent strength of dharma-aligned allies; it implicitly warns against contempt and shortsighted power-calculation.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (reported by Vaiśaṃpāyana) urges immediate action after consultation to subdue King Virāṭa, while belittling the Pāṇḍavas as lacking wealth, strength, and valor, and therefore deemed useless for their plans.