Shloka 5

इन्द्रजिद्-लक्ष्मणयुद्धम्

Indrajit and Lakṣmaṇa: Escalation through Concealment

Devanagari script

तदन्तरमथावृत्य कोटिकास्यो5 भ्यहारयत्‌ । महता रथवंशेन परिवार्य वृकोदरम्‌,इतनेमें ही रथोंकी विशाल सेनाके द्वारा भीमसेनको सब ओरसे घेरकर कोटिकास्यने जयद्रथ और भीमसेनके बीचमें भारी व्यवधान डाल दिया

Transliteration

tadantaram athāvṛtya koṭikāsyo 'bhyahārayat | mahatā rathavaṃśena parivārya vṛkodaram |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: In the meantime, Koṭikāsya intervened and advanced. With a great mass of chariots he surrounded Vṛkodara (Bhīma), creating a formidable obstruction between Jayadratha and Bhīmasena—an act of tactical interference that momentarily checked Bhīma’s direct pursuit and altered the immediate balance of the encounter.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (interval/thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अन्तरम्: interval, gap, space between
• अन्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then, now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• आवृत्य: having surrounded/covered
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√वृ (वृणोति/वर्तते)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• कोटिकास्यः: Kotikāsya (a warrior; lit. 'having a pointed/edge-like mouth')
• कोटिकास्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun (Proper name)
• Root: कोटिकास्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्याहरयत्: brought/dragged (towards), drew in
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√हृ (हरति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महता: with a great
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• रथवंशेन: with a line/array of chariots
• रथवंशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथवंश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• परिवार्य: having surrounded, encircling
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√वृ (वृणोति/वर्तते)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• वृकोदरम्: Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• वृकोदरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper epithet)
• Root: वृकोदर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Koṭikāsya
• Vṛkodara (Bhīma/Bhīmasena)
• Jayadratha
• ratha (chariots)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a battlefield ethic where strategy and timely intervention can restrain even a powerful warrior; it underscores that outcomes depend not only on individual strength but also on coordinated action and tactical positioning within kṣatriya conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Bhīma closes in, Koṭikāsya advances and, using a large formation of chariots, encircles Bhīma, thereby inserting a strong barrier between Bhīma and Jayadratha and interrupting Bhīma’s direct engagement.