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Shloka 5

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

देवासुरसमो राजन्नासीत्‌ सूर्येडवलम्बति । पदातिरथनागेन्द्रहयारोहबलौघवान्‌,राजन! सूर्य पश्चिमकी ओर ढल रहे थे। उस समय पैदल, रथी, हाथीसवार तथा घुड़सवारोंके समूहसे भरा हुआ वह युद्ध देवासुरसंग्रामके समान हो रहा था

Vaiśampāyana uvāca — devāsura-samo rājann āsīt sūrye ’valambati | padāti-ratha-nāgendra-hayāroha-balaughavān ||

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു— രാജാവേ, സൂര്യൻ പടിഞ്ഞാറോട്ട് ചായുമ്പോൾ ആ യുദ്ധം ദേവാസുരസംഗ്രാമംപോലെ വീർപ്പുമുട്ടി. പാദാതികൾ, രഥികൾ, ഗജാരോഹികൾ, അശ്വാരോഹികൾ—ഇവരുടെ മഹാസമൂഹങ്ങളാൽ രണഭൂമി നിറഞ്ഞു. അഹങ്കാരവും ബലവും നയിക്കുന്ന മനുഷ്യസംഘർഷം പോലും വ്യാപ്തിയിലും ഉഗ്രതയിലും കോസ്മിക കലഹത്തെ അനുകരിക്കാമെന്നു ആ ദൃശ്യം സൂചിപ്പിച്ചു.

देवgods
देव:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
असुरdemons
असुर:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअसुर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
समःequal to, like
समः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
राजन्O king
राजन्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
आसीत्was
आसीत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormImperfect, 3, Singular
सूर्येwhen the sun (was)
सूर्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसूर्य
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
अवलम्बतिwas sinking/declining
अवलम्बति:
TypeVerb
Rootअवलम्ब्
FormPresent, 3, Singular
पदातिfoot-soldier (infantry)
पदाति:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपदाति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
रथchariot (warrior)
रथ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नागेन्द्रlord of elephants; elephant (chief)
नागेन्द्र:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनागेन्द्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हयारोहhorse-rider
हयारोह:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootहयारोह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
बलarmy, force
बल:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबल
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
ओघmass, multitude
ओघ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootओघ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वान्possessing, filled with
वान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
राजन्O king
राजन्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
K
King (rājan)
S
Sūrya (the Sun)
D
Devas
A
Asuras
I
infantry (padāti)
C
chariots/chariot-warriors (ratha)
E
elephants/elephant corps (nāgendra)
H
horsemen/cavalry (hayāroha)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the overwhelming, almost cosmic scale of war and implicitly cautions that when conflict escalates through sheer force and numbers, it can resemble primordial strife; leaders and witnesses must retain discernment and restraint even amid such intensity.

As evening approaches and the sun declines westward, the fighting intensifies; the battlefield is crowded with combined arms—infantry, chariots, elephants, and cavalry—so that the clash is compared to the legendary war between gods and demons.