Shloka 12

Adhyāya 32: Rājasūya-Dīkṣā and Appointment of Court Offices (राजसूयदीक्षा तथा अधिकारविनियोगः)

Devanagari script

द्वारपालं च तरसा वशे चक्रे महाद्युति: । फिर सम्पूर्ण पंचनददेश (पंजाब), अमरपर्वत, उत्तरज्योतिष, दिव्यकट नगर और द्वारपालपुरको अत्यन्त कान्तिमान्‌ नकुलने शीघ्र ही अपने अधिकारमें कर लिया ।।

Transliteration

dvārapālaṃ ca tarasā vaśe cakre mahādyutiḥ |

Translation

Waiśampāyana berkata: Dengan gerak secepat kilat, Nakula yang bercahaya agung menundukkan bahkan sang penjaga gerbang. Sesudah itu ia segera membawa wilayah Pañcanada (Punjab), Amaraparvata, Uttarajyotiṣa, kota Divyakaṭa, dan Dvārapālapura ke dalam kekuasaannya.

Word by Word

• द्वारपालम्: the door-keeper/guard
• द्वारपालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तरसा: by force/with speed
• तरसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वशे: under control/in subjection
• वशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• चक्रे: made/placed (brought)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाद्युतिः: the very radiant one
• महाद्युतिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाद्युति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• dvārapāla (gate-keeper)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in conquest, authority is ideally exercised to establish order (rājadharma) with controlled force—securing submission and stability rather than indulging in unnecessary violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the account of the Pandavas’ campaign for the Rājasūya preparations, the radiant warrior (contextually Nakula) swiftly subdues a gate-keeper, signaling the rapid consolidation of control over a fortified place or its administration.