Shloka 26

Traigarta Attempt to Seize the Aśvamedha Horse; Arjuna’s Restraint and Tactical Victory

Devanagari script

आर्याश्न पृथिवीपाला: प्रहृष्टनरवाहना: । समीयु: पाण्डुपुत्रेण बहवो युद्धदुर्मदा:

Transliteration

āryāś ca pṛthivīpālāḥ prahṛṣṭa-nara-vāhanāḥ | samīyuḥ pāṇḍu-putreṇa bahavo yuddha-durmadāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Many noble rulers of the earth—riding in high spirits with their men and mounts—came together with the son of Pāṇḍu, proud and intoxicated with the ardor of war. The scene underscores how royal enthusiasm and martial pride can quickly gather into a formidable force, demanding wise leadership to keep power aligned with dharma rather than mere aggression.

Word by Word

आर्याःnoble, honorable

पृथिवीपालाःkings (protectors of the earth)

प्रहृष्टनरवाहनाःwhose men/warriors and mounts were delighted (exultant with their retinues/vehicles)

समीयुःcame together, assembled

पाण्डुपुत्रेणwith/by the son of Pāṇḍu

बहवःmany

युद्धदुर्मदाःarrogant/maddened in battle

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍuputra (a Pāṇḍava; contextually Yudhiṣṭhira)

pṛthivīpālāḥ (kings/rulers)

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?

Even ‘noble’ rulers can be swept up by the exhilaration of power and war; therefore leadership must restrain martial pride and align collective strength with dharma (right order and responsible kingship) rather than reckless aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes many kings gathering together with the Pāṇḍu’s son in a charged, warlike mood—suggesting a large royal assembly or coalition forming around the Pāṇḍava in the Aśvamedhika Parva context.