Mahabharata — Adi Parva, Shloka 8

Adhyāya 125: Raṅga-pradarśana — Arjuna’s Entry and Astric Demonstration (रङ्गप्रदर्शनम्)

Devanagari script

तत एनां बलादू राजा निजग्राह रहो गताम्‌ । वार्यमाणस्तया देव्या विस्फुरन्त्या यथाबलम्‌

Transliteration

tata enāṃ balādū rājā nijagrāha raho gatām | vāryamāṇas tayā devyā visphurantyā yathābalam ||

Translation

そのとき王は、ひとりでいる彼女を人目のない場所で見つけるや、力ずくで掴み取った。高貴な女は、逃れようと力の限りもがき、幾度も王を制し、抗議した。

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• एनाम्: her (this woman)
• एनाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निजग्राह: seized, grasped
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + नि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रहः: in secret, privately
• रहः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रहस् (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial use)

• गताम्: gone, having gone
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular (past passive participle)

• वार्यमाणः: being restrained/checked
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु; ‘वारयति’ causative) → वार्यमाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular (present passive participle)

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• देव्या: by the noble lady / goddess-like lady
• देव्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• विस्फुरन्त्या: struggling, writhing, quivering
• विस्फुरन्त्या: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फुर् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग) → विस्फुरन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular (present active participle)

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• बलम्: strength; (here) to the best of (her) strength
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular (adverbial: ‘to the extent of strength’)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍu
• Mādrī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical failure that occurs when power and desire override restraint and consent. By explicitly depicting the woman’s resistance, the narrative signals adharma and foreshadows harmful consequences that arise from coercive action, even when committed by a king.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that King Pāṇḍu encounters Mādrī alone in a secluded place and forcibly seizes her. Mādrī struggles to escape and repeatedly tries to stop him, resisting with all her strength.