Mahabharata 4.33.9 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 33, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

तमुन्मथ्य सुशर्माथ युवतीमिव कामुक: । स्यन्दनं स्वं समारोप्य प्रययौ शीघ्रवाहन:

Transliteration

tam unmathya suśarmātha yuvatīm iva kāmukaḥ | syandanaṃ svaṃ samāropya prayayau śīghravāhanaḥ ||

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—പിന്നെ സുശർമൻ അവനെ ക്രൂരമായി കീഴടക്കി, കാമാതുരൻ ഒരു യുവതിയെ ബലമായി പിടിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ, രാജാവ് വിരാടനെ പിടികൂടി. വേഗമേറിയ അശ്വങ്ങളുള്ള തന്റെ രഥത്തിൽ കയറ്റി അവൻ പാഞ്ഞുപോയി.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उन्मथ्य: having harassed/tormented
• Type: Verb
• Root: उन्मथ् (उद्+मथ्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), prior action

• सुशर्मा: Susharman
• सुशर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुशर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• युवतीम्: a young woman
• युवतीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवती
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• कामुकः: a lustful man
• कामुकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामुक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्यन्दनम्: chariot
• स्यन्दनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्वम्: his own
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समारोप्य: having mounted/placed (him) upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: समारोप् (सम्+आ+रुप्/रोप्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), prior action

• प्रययौ: went forth/departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (प्र+या)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शीघ्रवाहनः: having swift steeds/vehicles (swift-mounted)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीघ्रवाहन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Suśarmā
• Virāṭa
• syandana (chariot)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The simile equates coercive capture with sexual predation, condemning humiliation and brute force as morally degrading even within warfare; it signals that adharma is marked by the intent to violate and dishonor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Suśarmā overpowers King Virāṭa, forces him onto his own chariot with swift horses, and carries him away—presenting Virāṭa as a captive taken through harsh domination.