Shloka 2

Adhyāya 32: Rājasūya-Dīkṣā and Appointment of Court Offices (राजसूयदीक्षा तथा अधिकारविनियोगः)

Devanagari script

निर्याय खाण्डवप्रस्थात्‌ प्रतीचीमभितोदिशम्‌ । उद्दिश्य मतिमान्‌ प्रायान्महत्या सेनया सह,बुद्धिमान माद्रीकुमारने विशाल सेनाके साथ खाण्डवप्रस्थसे निकलकर पश्चिम दिशामें जानेके लिये प्रस्थान किया

Transliteration

niryāya khāṇḍavaprasthāt pratīcīm abhitodiśam | uddiśya matimān prāyān mahatyā senayā saha ||

Translation

ഖാണ്ഡവപ്രസ്ഥത്തിൽ നിന്ന് പുറപ്പെട്ട ബുദ്ധിമാനായ രാജകുമാരൻ മഹാസേനയോടുകൂടെ പടിഞ്ഞാറൻ ദിശയെ ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കി ഉറച്ച ഉദ്ദേശത്തോടെ യാത്ര തിരിച്ചു।

Word by Word

निर्यायhaving gone out, after departing

खाण्डवप्रस्थात्from Khāṇḍavaprastha

प्रतीचीम्westward (western direction)

अभितःtowards, in the direction of

दिशम्direction

उद्दिश्यaiming at, intending

मतिमान्intelligent, wise

प्रायात्set out, departed

महत्याwith a great (large)

सेनयाarmy

सहtogether with

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Khāṇḍavaprastha

the western direction (pratīcī diś)

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 prudent leadership: a ruler or commander should act with clear intention (uddiśya) and sound judgment (matimān), mobilizing resources responsibly rather than acting rashly.

What is happening in the narrative?

A wise prince sets out from Khāṇḍavaprastha with a large army and proceeds toward the western quarter, indicating the beginning of a planned expedition or campaign.