Shloka 87

Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थामा ततो राज्ञा हताश्वं विरथीकृतम्‌ तमपोवाह हार्दिक्यं स्वरथेन युधिष्ठिरात्‌

Transliteration

aśvatthāmā tato rājñā hatāśvaṁ virathīkṛtam | tam apovāha hārdikyaṁ svarathena yudhiṣṭhirāt ||

Translation

संजय म्हणाला—यानंतर अश्वत्थाम्याने आपल्या रथाने, घोडे मारले गेल्यामुळे रथहीन झालेल्या हार्दिक्य (कृतवर्मा) याला राजा युधिष्ठिराजवळून दूर नेले. रणात हेच सख्यधर्म—उघडा पडलेल्या मित्राचे प्राण वाचवणे.

Word by Word

• अश्वत्थामा: Ashvatthaman
• अश्वत्थामा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थामन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then/from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• हताश्वम्: whose horses were slain
• हताश्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हताश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विरथीकृतम्: made chariotless
• विरथीकृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरथीकृत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• अपोवाह: carried away/removed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + वह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• हार्दिक्यम्: the son of Hrdika (Kritavarman)
• हार्दिक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हार्दिक्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्वरथेन: with his own chariot
• स्वरथेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरात्: from Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Aśvatthāmā
• Hārdikya (Kṛtavarmā)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• chariot
• horses

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid violent conflict, a warrior’s immediate dharma includes safeguarding comrades who are suddenly exposed—here, removing a chariotless ally from imminent danger reflects loyalty, responsibility, and practical battlefield ethics.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛtavarmā (Hārdikya) has lost his horses and is effectively without a fighting chariot near Yudhiṣṭhira. Aśvatthāmā brings his own chariot and pulls him away from Yudhiṣṭhira to save him and reposition him.