Shloka 14
Uttarā-Pratigrahaṇa and Abhimanyu–Uttarā Vivāha
Virāṭa-parva, Adhyāya 67
विधाय तच्चायुधमाजिवर्धनं कुरूत्तमानामिषुधी: शरांस्तथा । प्रायात् स मत्स्यो नगर प्रह्ृष्ट: किरीटिना सारथिना महात्मना,क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्ता विदेशस्था विचेतस: । जब कौरव-दलके लोग चले गये या इधर-उधर सब दिशाओंमें भाग गये, उस समय बहुत-से कौरवसैनिक जो घने जंगलमें छिपे हुए थे, वहाँसे निकलकर डरते-डरते अर्जुनके पास आये। उनके मनमें भय समा गया था। वे भूखे-प्यासे और थके-माँदे थे। परदेशमें होनेके कारण उनके हृदयकी व्याकुलता और बढ़ गयी थी। वे उस समय केश खोले और हाथ जोड़े हुए खड़े दिखायी दिये कुरुकुलशिरोमणि पाण्डवोंके युद्धक्षमतावर्धक आयुधों, तरकसों और बाणोंको फिर पूर्ववत् शमीवृक्ष-पर रखकर मत्स्यकुमार उत्तर महात्मा अर्जुनको सारथि बना उनके साथ प्रसन्नतापूर्वक नगरको चला
vaiśampāyana uvāca | vidhāya tac cāyudham ājivardhanaṁ kurūttamānām iṣudhīḥ śarāṁs tathā | prāyāt sa matsyo nagaraṁ prahṛṣṭaḥ kirīṭinā sārathinā mahātmanā || kṣutpipāsāpariśrāntā videśasthā viceṭasaḥ |
Vaiśampāyana said: Having restored those war-enhancing weapons—along with the quivers and arrows of the foremost Kurus—to their former place (upon the śamī tree), the Matsya prince set out joyfully for the city, with the great-souled Kirīṭin (Arjuna) as his charioteer. Meanwhile, the Kaurava soldiers who had been hiding in the dense forest emerged in fear—confused, exhausted by hunger and thirst, and further distressed by being in a foreign land—standing with loosened hair and folded hands, their courage broken by what they had witnessed.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores restraint and propriety after victory: Arjuna does not seize spoils but restores the concealed weapons to their rightful place, while the defeated Kaurava soldiers are shown as humbled by fear and hardship—illustrating how pride collapses when dharma-backed strength is revealed.
After the battle in which Arjuna (as Brihannalā) defeats the Kauravas and protects Matsya cattle, the weapons taken from the śamī tree are returned and re-concealed. Uttara, now reassured, travels back to the city with Arjuna as charioteer, while scattered Kaurava troops emerge from hiding, terrified and depleted.