Shloka 353
हत्वा तां महतीं सेनां त्रिगर्तानां महारथ: । तदनन्तर महारथी सहदेव त्रिगर्तोंकी उस महासेनाका संहार करके अत्यन्त उग्र रूप धारण किये हाथमें धनुष ले सुशर्मापर चढ़ आये
hatvā tāṁ mahatīṁ senāṁ trigartānāṁ mahārathaḥ | tadanantaraṁ mahārathī sahadevaḥ suśarmāṇam abhyāruroha dhanuḥ-pāṇiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Ayant abattu la grande armée des Trigartas, le puissant guerrier de char Sahadeva—prenant une allure farouche et redoutable—saisit son arc et s’avança alors contre le roi Suśarmā. Le passage met en lumière l’élan de la résistance juste au combat : après avoir brisé l’ost ennemi, le guerrier marche sur le chef adverse afin de mettre fin à de nouveaux torts et au désordre.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: after neutralizing a threatening force, a warrior may rightly confront the enemy leader to prevent further violence and restore order, acting with resolve rather than cruelty.
After Sahadeva has routed and destroyed the Trigarta host, he takes up his bow, assumes a fierce battle-form, and charges toward their king Suśarmā, escalating the conflict from defeating the army to confronting its commander.