Shloka 19

सहदेव-दक्षिण-दिग्विजयः — Sahadeva’s Southern Conquest and the Māhiṣmatī–Agni Encounter

Devanagari script

हयांस्तित्तिरिकल्माषाऊछुकपत्रनिभानपि । मयूरसदृशानन्यान्‌ सर्वाननिलरंहस:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

hayāṁs tittiri-kalmāṣāñ chuka-patra-nibhān api |

mayūra-sadṛśān anyān sarvān anila-raṁhasaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: Trajo consigo caballos—unos de las razas tittiri y kalmāṣa, otros con marcas como plumaje de ala de loro, y otros semejantes al pavo real—todos veloces como el viento.

Word by Word

• हयान्: horses
• हयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तित्तिरि-कल्माषान्: tittiri- and kalmāṣa-(variety) [horses]
• तित्तिरि-कल्माषान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तित्तिरि-कल्माष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उछुकपत्रनिभान्: resembling uccuka-leaves (parrot-wing-like)
• उछुकपत्रनिभान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उछुकपत्रनिभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• मयूरसदृशान्: peacock-like
• मयूरसदृशान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मयूरसदृश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अनिल-रंहसः: having the speed of the wind
• अनिल-रंहसः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिलरंहस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• horses (tittiri, kalmāṣa, śuka-patra-nibha, mayūra-sadṛśa types)
• wind (anila, as a simile for speed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse supports a model of righteous conquest: power is shown through victory and collection of tribute, yet tempered by restraint—defeated rulers are not necessarily destroyed but can be reinstated, aligning force with political order and stability.

What is happening in the narrative?

After victories in the northern direction, Arjuna returns with tribute and valuable goods, including many swift horses of various described types; Vaiśampāyana narrates these details as part of the broader account of the Pāṇḍavas’ imperial expansion.