Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

गले गृहीत्वा राजानमानीय विवशं वशम्‌ । तत एनं विचेष्टन्तं बद्ध्वा पार्थो वृकोदर:

Transliteration

gale gṛhītvā rājānam ānīya vivaśaṁ vaśam | tata enaṁ viceṣṭantaṁ baddhvā pārtho vṛkodaraḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Seizing the king by the throat and dragging him in, Arjuna brought him under complete control. Then, as the king struggled and thrashed about, Bhīma (Vṛkodara) bound him fast.

Word by Word

• गले: on/at the neck
• गले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• गृहीत्वा: having seized
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आनीय: having brought
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• विवशम्: helpless, overpowered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वशम्: into (his) control
• वशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विचेष्टन्तम्: struggling, writhing
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चेष्ट्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बद्ध्वा: having bound/tied
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृकोदरः: Vrikodara (Bhima)
• वृकोदरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृकोदर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Bhīma (Vṛkodara)
• the king (rājā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid confrontation, power is ideally exercised with restraint: the opponents are subdued and bound rather than harmed unnecessarily, reflecting disciplined force aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna physically overpowers the king by seizing him at the throat and bringing him under control; as the king struggles, Bhīma binds him securely, ensuring he cannot resist or escape.