Shloka 9

Indrajit’s Binding, Restoration by Viśalyā, and Counsel Restraining Rāvaṇa (Āraṇyaka Parva 273)

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा सटास्तस्य पड्च चक्रे वृकोदर: । अर्धचन्द्रेण बाणेन किंचिदब्रुवतस्तदा,ऐसा कहकर भीमने जयद्रथके लम्बे-लम्बे बालोंको अर्द्धचन्द्राकार बाणसे मूँड़कर पाँच चोटियाँ रख दीं। उस समय वह भयके मारे कुछ भी बोल नहीं पाता था

Transliteration

evam uktvā śaṭāstasya pañca cakre vṛkodaraḥ | ardhacandreṇa bāṇena kiñcid abruvatas tadā ||

Translation

Having spoken thus, Vṛkodara (Bhīma) sheared off Jayadratha’s long hair with a crescent-shaped arrow and left him with five tufts. At that moment Jayadratha, overwhelmed by fear, could not utter a word—his humiliation serving as a deliberate, public mark of disgrace rather than immediate execution.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), active, same as main verb-subject

• सटान्: locks of hair / long hair
• सटान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सटा
• Form: feminine, accusative, plural

• तस्य: of him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च

• चक्रे: made / did
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: perfect (liṭ), 3rd, singular, active

• वृकोदरः: Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• वृकोदरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृकोदर
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अर्धचन्द्रेण: with a half-moon (shaped)
• अर्धचन्द्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्धचन्द्र
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• बाणेन: with an arrow
• बाणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• किञ्चित्: anything / something
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित्

• अब्रुवतः: of (him) who was speaking / trying to speak
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

भीमसेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīmasena (Vṛkodara)
• Jayadratha
• crescent-shaped arrow (ardhacandra-bāṇa)
• hair/locks (śaṭāḥ)
• five tufts/topknots (pañca śikhāḥ implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a form of measured retribution: instead of killing an offender immediately, Bhīma imposes a visible, socially meaningful disgrace. It reflects the epic’s concern with proportional punishment, public accountability, and the ethical weight of consequences in a warrior culture.

What is happening in the narrative?

After declaring his intent, Bhīma uses a crescent-shaped arrow to shave off Jayadratha’s long hair and leaves him with five tufts. Jayadratha is so terrified and shamed that he cannot speak.