Shloka 14

Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances

Devanagari script

मैत्रनक्षत्रयोगे सम सहित: सर्वयादवै: । आश्रयामास भोजस्तु दुर्योधनमरिंदम:,इसके बाद शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले कृतव्माने सम्पूर्ण यादवोंके साथ अनुराधानक्षत्रमें दुर्योधनका पक्ष ग्रहण किया

Transliteration

maitranakṣatrayoge sama sahitaḥ sarvayādavaiḥ | āśrayāmāsa bhojas tu duryodhanam ariṃdamaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: Di bawah pertemuan bintang Maitra (Anurādhā), wira Bhoja—terkenal sebagai penunduk musuh—bersama seluruh kaum Yādava memilih berlindung pada Duryodhana, lalu berpihak kepada Kaurava.

Word by Word

मैत्रin (the) Maitra (nakshatra)

नक्षत्रin the constellation

योगेat the conjunction/auspicious time

सम्together/with

सहितःaccompanied (by)

सर्वby all

यादवैःby/with the Yadavas

आश्रयामासtook refuge in / resorted to / joined

भोजःthe Bhoja (king/hero)

तुindeed/but

दुर्योधनम्Duryodhana

अरिंदमःenemy-subduing (one)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Duryodhana

Yādavas

Bhoja (a Yādava/Bhoja chief)

Maitra/Anurādhā nakṣatra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that choosing an alliance in wartime is a morally consequential act. Even when framed through auspicious timing (nakṣatra-yoga), the ethical burden remains: whom one supports can strengthen adharma or uphold dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that a Bhoja leader, accompanied by the Yādavas, formally aligns with Duryodhana during the Maitra/Anurādhā nakṣatra conjunction—indicating a decisive political shift toward the Kaurava side.