Shloka 20

Virāṭa Rescued from Suśarmā; Night Battle and Royal Gratitude (विराटमोक्षणं सुशर्मवधाभिमुखं च)

Devanagari script

तौ प्रविष्टी महासेनां बलवन्तौ मनस्विनौ । आच्छेतां बहुसंरब्धौ केशाकेशि रथारथि:,उस विशाल सेनामें घुसे हुए और अत्यन्त क़ुद्ध हुए उन बलवान्‌ एवं मनस्वी वीरोंने उस सारी सेनाको मोहित कर दिया। वे दोनों उन त्रिगर्त सैनिकोंसे एक दूसरेके केश पकड़- पकड़कर तथा रथोंपर बैठे हुए रथियोंको गिरा-गिराकर युद्ध करने लगे

Transliteration

tau praviṣṭī mahāsenāṃ balavantau manasvinau | ācchetāṃ bahusaṃrabdhau keśākeśi rathārathī ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。剛力にして気概高きその二人は大軍の中へ踏み込んだ。激しい憤怒に燃え、軍勢を混乱に陥れ、髪をつかんでの組み討ちを演じ、また戦車に乗る戦士たちを車上から投げ落として戦い続けた。

Word by Word

तौthose two

प्रविष्टौhaving entered

महासेनाम्the great army

बलवन्तौstrong

मनस्विनौhigh-spirited, resolute

आच्छेताम्they cut down / struck down

बहुसंरब्धौgreatly enraged

केशाकेशिhair to hair (by seizing each other’s hair)

रथारथिःchariots and chariot-warriors (collectively)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

mahāsenā (great army)

ratha (chariot)

rathī (charioteer/chariot-warrior)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of fearless engagement in battle: when courage and resolve are aligned with one’s duty, even a vast force can be thrown into disarray. It also hints at the ethical tension of war—fury fuels effectiveness, yet the narrative invites reflection on how power should be governed by dharma rather than mere anger.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two powerful warriors surge into a large opposing army and, in close-quarters combat, overwhelm it—grappling fighters by the hair and knocking chariot-warriors from their chariots, creating panic and confusion across the host.