Shloka 23

Arjuna Confronted by Saindhava Forces during the Aśvamedha Circuit (श्वेतवाहनस्य सैन्धवसंघर्षः)

Devanagari script

अब्रवीद्धि महातेजा: प्रस्थितं मां युधिष्ठिर: । राजानस्ते न हन्तव्या धनंजय कथंचन

Transliteration

abravīd dhi mahātejāḥ prasthitaṃ māṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | rājānas te na hantavyā dhanaṃjaya kathaṃcana, vaktavyāś cāpi rājānaḥ sarve sahasuhṛjjanaiḥ | yudhiṣṭhirasya aśvamedho bhavadbhir anubhūyatām ||

Translation

ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ನಾನು ಹೊರಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ ಮಹಾತೇಜಸ್ವಿ ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನು ಹೀಗೆಂದನು—“ಧನಂಜಯ! ಆ ರಾಜರನ್ನು ಯಾವ ಕಾರಣಕ್ಕೂ ವಧಿಸಬೇಡ. ಬದಲಾಗಿ ಎಲ್ಲ ರಾಜರಿಗೆ ಅವರ ಸುಹೃದರು ಮತ್ತು ಮಿತ್ರರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಹೀಗೆ ಹೇಳು—‘ಬನ್ನಿ, ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನ ಅಶ್ವಮೇಧೋತ್ಸವವನ್ನು ಅನುಭವಿಸಿ’।”

Word by Word

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• महातेजाः: the great-splendoured one
• महातेजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रस्थितम्: departed/setting out
• प्रस्थितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रस्थित (प्र + स्था; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ते: those/they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हन्तव्याः: to be killed (should be killed)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन्तव्य (हन् धातु; तव्यत्-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• धनंजय: O Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• कथंचन: in any way/at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन

• वक्तव्याः: to be told (should be told)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वक्तव्य (वच् धातु; तव्यत्-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अथ: then/and now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• सुहृज्जनैः: with friends/well-wishers
• सुहृज्जनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृज्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• युधिष्ठिरस्य: of Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अश्वमेधः: Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• अश्वमेधः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवद्भिः: by you / with you (honorific plural)
• भवद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अनुभूयताम्: let it be experienced/enjoyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथम, एकवचन, कर्मणि (passive)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna)
• kings (rājānaḥ)
• Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice/royal rite)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even after a devastating war, righteous rule requires restraint: enemies are not to be hunted down, but invited into a renewed moral and political order. The Aśvamedha here becomes a means of consolidating sovereignty through consent, hospitality, and dharmic legitimacy rather than violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

As a mission is being undertaken (with the speaker departing), Yudhiṣṭhira gives instructions to Arjuna: do not kill the regional kings; instead, inform them to come with their allies and well-wishers to participate in and enjoy Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha festivities.