Shloka 10

उपहार-विधानम्, यक्षपूजा, रत्ननिध्युद्धारः

Offerings to Tryambaka; Yakṣa honors; Excavation of the Treasure

Devanagari script

षट्पदं नवसंख्यानं निवेशं चक्रिरे द्विजा: । मत्तानां वारणेन्द्राणां निवेशं च यथाविधि

Transliteration

ṣaṭpadaṃ navasaṅkhyānaṃ niveśaṃ cakrire dvijāḥ | mattānāṃ vāraṇendrāṇāṃ niveśaṃ ca yathāvidhi

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The brahmins arranged the encampment in the prescribed manner—setting out the sixfold and ninefold divisions—and they also established, according to rule, the proper stations for the lordly elephants that were in rut.

Word by Word

षट्पदम्a six-(unit) measure/arrangement (six-footed/hexagonal)

नवसंख्यानम्a nine-numbered arrangement/measure

निवेशम्encampment; arrangement; placing

चक्रिरेthey made; they arranged

द्विजाःthe Brahmins (twice-born)

मत्तानाम्of intoxicated/maddened

वारणेन्द्राणाम्of lordly elephants; of elephant-kings

निवेशम्encampment; arrangement; placing

चand

यथाविधिaccording to rule; as prescribed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)

द

द्विजाः (the brahmins/ritual experts)

व

वारणेन्द्राः (lordly elephants)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma as orderly procedure: even powerful forces (rutting elephants) are managed through prescribed rules, and social/ritual specialists (dvijas) ensure that public actions follow established norms rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the preparations in the Aśvamedhika setting, brahmins organize the encampment using traditional sixfold and ninefold divisions and assign proper stations for the musth elephants, ensuring safety and ritual correctness.