Shloka 26

Saṃvaraṇa–Tapatī Vivāhaḥ (The Marriage of Saṃvaraṇa and Tapatī) — Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva 163

Devanagari script

ततो<स्य जानुना पृष्ठठगवपीड्य बलादिव । बाहुना परिजग्राह दक्षिणेन शिरोधराम्‌

Transliteration

tato 'sya jānunā pṛṣṭhaṭhagavāpīḍya balād iva | bāhunā parijagrāha dakṣiṇena śirodharām |

Translation

तदनन्तर उन्होंने घुटने से बलपूर्वक राक्षस की पीठ दबाई और दाहिने हाथ से उसकी गर्दन पकड़ ली।

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अस्य: of him/its
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• जानुना: with (his) knee
• जानुना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• पृष्ठम्: back
• पृष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अवपीड्य: having pressed down
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-पीड्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), active

• बलात्: by force, forcibly
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• बाहुना: with (his) arm
• बाहुना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• परिजग्राह: seized, grasped
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ग्रह्
• Form: perfect (लिट्), third, singular, active

• दक्षिणेन: with the right (hand/arm)
• दक्षिणेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, singular

• शिरोधराम्: neck (lit. head-support)
• शिरोधराम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरोधरा
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rākṣasa
• knee
• back
• right arm
• neck (śirodharā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical use of strength: force is depicted as a means to restrain a dangerous aggressor, aligning power with protection rather than needless harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

A rākṣasa is physically overpowered—his back is pinned with a knee and his neck is seized with the right arm—showing a close-quarters struggle where the opponent is brought under control.