Shloka 12

Āśramāgamanam — The Pāṇḍavas Arrive at Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

अचलो वृषकश्चैव राक्षसश्वाप्पलायुध: । बाह्विक:ः सोमदत्तश्न चेकितानश्न पार्थिव:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

acalo vṛṣakaś caiva rākṣasaś cāpy alāyudhaḥ |

bāhlīkaḥ somadattaś ca cekitānaś ca pārthivaḥ |

karṇaḥ duryodhanaḥ śakuniḥ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putro mahābalī duḥśāsanaś ca |

jarāsandha-kumāraḥ sahadevaḥ bhagadattaḥ parākramaḥ jala-sandhaḥ |

bhūriśravāḥ śalaḥ śalyaḥ bhrātṛbhiḥ saha vṛṣasenaḥ |

rājakumāro lakṣmaṇaḥ dhṛṣṭadyumna-putrāḥ śikhaṇḍinaḥ sarva-putrāḥ |

bhrātṛbhiḥ saha dhṛṣṭaketuḥ |

ete ca anye bahavaḥ kṣatriya-vīrāḥ saṅkhyā-bahutvān nāmato ’nukīrtitāḥ |

sarve dīpyamāna-śarīrāḥ tasmin jalāt prādurabhavan ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ଅଚଳ, ବୃଷକ, ରାକ୍ଷସ ଅଲାୟୁଧ, ରାଜା ବାହ୍ଲୀକ, ସୋମଦତ୍ତ ଓ ଚେକିତାନ; କର୍ଣ୍ଣ, ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନ, ଶକୁନି ଏବଂ ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରପୁତ୍ର ମହାବଳୀ ଦୁଃଶାସନ; ଜରାସନ୍ଧଙ୍କ ପୁତ୍ର ସହଦେବ; ଭଗଦତ୍ତ, ପରାକ୍ରମୀ ଜଲସନ୍ଧ; ଭୂରିଶ୍ରବା, ଶଲ, ଶଲ୍ୟ; ଭାଇମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ବୃଷସେନ; ରାଜକୁମାର ଲକ୍ଷ୍ମଣ; ଧୃଷ୍ଟଦ୍ୟୁମ୍ନଙ୍କ ପୁତ୍ରମାନେ; ଶିଖଣ୍ଡୀଙ୍କ ସମସ୍ତ ପୁତ୍ର; ଏବଂ ଭାଇମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ଧୃଷ୍ଟକେତୁ—ଏମାନେ ଓ ଅନ୍ୟ ଅନେକ ବୀର କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ, ସମସ୍ତେ ଦୀପ୍ତିମାନ ଦେହ ଧାରଣ କରି ସେହି ଜଳରୁ ପ୍ରକଟ ହେଲେ।

Word by Word

• अचलः: Achala (proper name)
• अचलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृषकः: Vrishaka (proper name)
• वृषकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• राक्षसः: Rakshasa (a demon; here a proper name/group label)
• राक्षसः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अप्पलायुधः: Alayudha (proper name; spelling here as 'Appalāyudha')
• अप्पलायुधः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्पलायुध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बाह्विकः: Bāhlīka/Bāhvika (proper name)
• बाह्विकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्विक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सोमदत्तः: Somadatta (proper name)
• सोमदत्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमदत्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चेकितानः: Chekitāna (proper name)
• चेकितानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेकितान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पार्थिवः: the king/earthly ruler
• पार्थिवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Acala
• Vṛṣaka
• Alāyudha
• Bāhlīka
• Somadatta
• Cekitāna
• Karṇa
• Duryodhana
• Śakuni
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Duḥśāsana
• Jarāsandha
• Sahadeva (son of Jarāsandha)
• Bhagadatta
• Jalasandha
• Bhūriśravas
• Śala
• Śalya
• Vṛṣasena
• Lakṣmaṇa (Duryodhana’s son)
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Sons of Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Sons of Śikhaṇḍin
• Dhṛṣṭaketu
• Water (jala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the epic’s moral complexity: warriors from opposing sides—many associated with grave wrongdoing—are nevertheless shown reappearing with radiant bodies. This suggests that posthumous states are not a simple ledger of partisan victory or defeat, but unfold through karma, destiny, and the larger cosmic order that can transmute even violent life-stories into a different condition after death.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana lists numerous well-known kṣatriya heroes (and some rākṣasas) who, along with many unnamed warriors, manifest from the water with shining bodies. The scene functions as a mass reappearance/vision of the fallen, emphasizing their continued existence in another mode and setting the tone of closure and reflection characteristic of the Āśramavāsika section.