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

ಹೀಗೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿ ವೃಕೋದರ (ಭೀಮ)ನು ಅರ್ಧಚಂದ್ರಾಕಾರದ ಬಾಣದಿಂದ ಜಯದ್ರಥನ ದೀರ್ಘ ಕೇಶವನ್ನು ಕತ್ತರಿಸಿ ಐದು ಶಿಖೆಗಳನ್ನಷ್ಟೇ ಉಳಿಸಿದನು. ಆ ಕ್ಷಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಯದಿಂದ ನಲುಗಿದ ಜಯದ್ರಥನು ಒಂದೂ ಮಾತು ಆಡಲಾರದೆ ಹೋಯಿತು; ತಕ್ಷಣದ ವಧಕ್ಕಿಂತಲೂ ಇದು ಉದ್ದೇಶಪೂರ್ವಕ ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಅಪಮಾನಚಿಹ್ನೆಯಾಗಿ ವಿಧಿಸಲಾಯಿತು.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

उक्त्वाhaving said

सटान्locks of hair / long hair

तस्यof him

पञ्चfive

चक्रेmade / did

वृकोदरःVṛkodara (Bhīma)

अर्धचन्द्रेणwith a half-moon (shaped)

बाणेनwith an arrow

किञ्चित्anything / something

अब्रुवतःof (him) who was speaking / trying to speak

तदाthen

Speaker

भीमसेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīmasena (Vṛkodara)

Jayadratha

crescent-shaped arrow (ardhacandra-bāṇa)

hair/locks (śaṭāḥ)

five tufts/topknots (pañca śikhāḥ implied)

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 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.