Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

निवर्त्य गास्तत: सर्वा: पाण्डुपुत्रा महारथा: । अवजित्य सुशर्माणं धनं चादाय सर्वश:,तदनन्तर पाण्डुके महारथी पुत्र सुशर्माको परास्त करनेके पश्चात्‌ सब गौओंको लौटाकर और लूटका सारा धन वापस लेकर चले

Transliteration

nivartya gās tataḥ sarvāḥ pāṇḍuputrā mahārathāḥ | avajitya suśarmāṇaṁ dhanaṁ cādāya sarvaśaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then the mighty chariot-warriors, the sons of Pāṇḍu, turned back and recovered all the cattle; and, having defeated Suśarmā, they took back in full the wealth that had been seized.

Word by Word

• निवर्त्य: having turned back / having brought back
• निवर्त्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाले (absolutive)

• गाः: cows
• गाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• पाण्डु-पुत्राः: the sons of Pandu (Pandavas)
• पाण्डु-पुत्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• महा-रथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महा-रथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अवजित्य: having defeated
• अवजित्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-जी (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाले (absolutive)

• सुशर्माणम्: Susharman
• सुशर्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुशर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धनम्: wealth / booty
• धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• आदाय: having taken / having seized
• आदाय: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाले (absolutive)

• सर्वशः: entirely / in every way / all together
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavas (sons of Pāṇḍu)
• Suśarmā
• cattle (gāḥ)
• wealth/property (dhana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic ideal of warfare: the Pāṇḍavas fight to undo wrongdoing—recovering stolen cattle and property—emphasizing protection and restitution rather than mere acquisition through plunder.

What is happening in the narrative?

After defeating Suśarmā, the Pāṇḍavas bring back all the cattle and reclaim the wealth that had been taken, restoring what was lost and concluding that phase of the conflict.