Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 45

Adhyāya 61: Saṃmohana-astra and the Kuru Withdrawal (संमोहनास्त्रं तथा कुरुनिवृत्तिः)

Devanagari script

तौ हताश्वौ विभिन्नाज्ै धृतराष्ट्रात्मजावुभौ । अभिपत्य रथैरन्यैरपनीतौ पदानुगै:

Transliteration

tau hatāśvau vibhinnājai dhṛtarāṣṭrātmajāv ubhau | abhipatya rathair anyair apanītau padānugaiḥ ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。彼らの馬が討たれ、身が矢に貫かれるや、持国王（ドリタラーシュトラ）の二人の子のもとへ従者たちが駆け寄り、別の戦車を呼び寄せて抱え上げ、そこから退かせた――戦の苛烈な必然のただ中にあっても、忠節を尽くす働きであった。

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• हताश्वौ: whose horses were slain
• हताश्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हताश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• विभिन्नैः: with (their) pierced/wounded (limbs/bodies)
• विभिन्नैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभिन्न
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• धृतराष्ट्रात्मजौ: the two sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रात्मजौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्रात्मज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अभिपत्य: having rushed up / having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√पत्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• रथैः: by/with chariots
• रथैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अन्यैः: with other (ones)
• अन्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपनीतौ: were carried away / removed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-नीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• पदानुगैः: by attendants/followers (lit. those who follow at the feet)
• पदानुगैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदानुग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Dhārtarāṣṭras)
• attendants/followers (padānugāḥ)
• chariots (rathāḥ)
• horses (aśvāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, duty expresses itself through steadfast service: attendants protect and evacuate wounded leaders, showing loyalty and responsibility amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, left without horses and wounded, are approached by their foot-attendants, who bring other chariots and remove them from danger.