Shloka 2

Devanagari script

हस्त्यश्वरथयुक्तेन पताकाध्वजमालिना । अमृष्यमाणास्ते योधा तृपस्य शकुनेर्वधम्‌

Transliteration

hasty-aśva-ratha-yuktena patākā-dhvaja-mālinā | amṛṣyamāṇās te yodhās tṛpasyāḥ śakuner vadham

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Harnessed with elephants, horses, and chariots, and adorned with banners and standards, those warriors—unable to endure it—took satisfaction in the slaying of Śakuni. The verse underscores how, in the aftermath of grievous wrongs, martial zeal can turn into a grim sense of relief at an enemy’s fall, raising an ethical tension between righteous retribution and the hardening of the heart in war.

Word by Word

• हस्त्यश्वरथयुक्तेन: with (an army) furnished with elephants, horses, and chariots
• हस्त्यश्वरथयुक्तेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्ति-अश्व-रथ-युक्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पताकाध्वजमालिना: with garlands of banners and flags
• पताकाध्वजमालिना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पताका-ध्वज-मालिन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अमृष्यमाणाः: unable to endure; impatient
• अमृष्यमाणाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृष् (अमृष्यमाण)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• योधाः: warriors
• योधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तृपस्य: of Tr̥pasa (a proper name)
• तृपस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृपस्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शकुनेः: of Śakuni
• शकुनेः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वधम्: killing; slaying
• वधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Śakuni
• warriors (yodhāḥ)
• elephants
• horses
• chariots
• banners (patākā)
• standards (dhvaja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical tension in warfare: even when an enemy’s death seems like deserved retribution, taking pleasure in killing reflects the corrosive emotional effects of conflict. It invites reflection on justice versus vindictiveness within kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

A force equipped with elephants, horses, and chariots, decorated with banners and standards, is described. The warriors, stirred by resentment and unable to bear past injuries, feel satisfaction at the news/event of Śakuni’s slaying.