Shloka 353

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)

Devanagari script

हत्वा तां महतीं सेनां त्रिगर्तानां महारथ: । तदनन्तर महारथी सहदेव त्रिगर्तोंकी उस महासेनाका संहार करके अत्यन्त उग्र रूप धारण किये हाथमें धनुष ले सुशर्मापर चढ़ आये

Transliteration

hatvā tāṁ mahatīṁ senāṁ trigartānāṁ mahārathaḥ | tadanantaraṁ mahārathī sahadevaḥ suśarmāṇam abhyāruroha dhanuḥ-pāṇiḥ ||

Translation

ത്രിഗർത്തരുടെ ആ മഹാസേനയെ വധിച്ച ശേഷം മഹാരഥനായ സഹദേവൻ അത്യന്തം ഭീകരരൂപം ധരിച്ചു; ധനുസ്സു കൈയിൽ എടുത്ത് സുഷർമയിലേക്കു പാഞ്ഞുചെന്നു.

Word by Word

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद-भाव (क्रियाविशेषण)

• ताम्: that (her/that)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• महतīm: great, vast
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सेनाम्: army
• सेनाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• त्रिगर्तानाम्: of the Trigartas
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिगर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महारथः: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Sahadeva
• Trigartas
• Suśarmā
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• army (senā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: after neutralizing a threatening force, a warrior may rightly confront the enemy leader to prevent further violence and restore order, acting with resolve rather than cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Sahadeva has routed and destroyed the Trigarta host, he takes up his bow, assumes a fierce battle-form, and charges toward their king Suśarmā, escalating the conflict from defeating the army to confronting its commander.