Shloka 43

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)

Devanagari script

पलायमान त्रैगर्त दृष्टयवा भीमो5भ्याभाषत । राजपुत्र निवर्तस्व न ते युक्ते पलायनम्‌

Transliteration

palāyamānaṃ traigartaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmo ’bhyabhāṣata | rājaputra nivartasva na te yuktaṃ palāyanam ||

Translation

Seeing the Trigarta prince fleeing the field, Bhīma addressed him: “O prince, turn back. It is not fitting for you to run away, showing your back in battle.” The verse upholds the kṣatriya code: courage and steadfastness in combat are integral to honor and dharma.

Word by Word

• पलायमानम्: fleeing
• पलायमानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पलायमान (पलाय् + शतृ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• त्रैगर्तम्: the Trigarta (king/warrior)
• त्रैगर्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैगर्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• भीमः: Bhima
• भीमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्याभाषत: addressed / spoke to
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (अभि-आ-)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• राजपुत्र: O prince
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• निवर्तस्व: turn back / return
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (नि-)
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 2nd, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ते: for you / to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• युक्तम्: proper / fitting
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (युज् + क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पलायनम्: flight / fleeing
• Type: Noun
• Root: पलायन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• Trigarta prince/king (Traigarta)
• battlefield (implicit)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma: in a righteous battle, fleeing and showing one’s back is considered improper. Courage, steadfastness, and facing consequences are treated as ethical duties tied to honor and social responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the fighting in Virāṭa’s context, a Trigarta prince attempts to escape. Bhīma notices and calls out, urging him to return, explicitly condemning the act of fleeing as unworthy of a prince.