Shloka 9

अश्वमेधीयस्य हयस्य दक्षिणापश्चिमगमनम् — The Sacrificial Horse’s Southern and Western Circuit

Devanagari script

त॑ युध्यमान राजान क्षत्रधर्मे व्यवस्थितम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | taṁ yudhyamānaṁ rājānaṁ kṣatradharme vyavasthitam arjunenaivam uktaḥ— “vīra! na te yuddhena kaścid arthaḥ. mahārāja-yudhiṣṭhirasya eṣā ājñā— na rājñāṁ vadhaṁ kariṣyāmi. tasmād yuddhān nivartasva, yathā adya tava parājayo na bhavet.”

Translation

କ୍ଷତ୍ରଧର୍ମରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ହୋଇ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ କରୁଥିବା ସେଇ ରାଜାଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖି ଅର୍ଜୁନ ଧର୍ମସମ୍ମତ ହିତବାକ୍ୟ କହିଲେ— “ବୀର! ଏହି ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ତୁମର କିଛି ଲାଭ ନାହିଁ। ମହାରାଜ ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିରଙ୍କ ଆଜ୍ଞା— ମୁଁ ରାଜାମାନଙ୍କୁ ବଧ କରିବି ନାହିଁ। ତେଣୁ ଯୁଦ୍ଧରୁ ନିବୃତ୍ତ ହୁଅ, ଯେପରି ଆଜି ତୁମ ପରାଜୟ ନ ହେଉ।”

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that (king)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युध्यमानम्: fighting
• युध्यमानम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (युध्यते)
• Form: शानच् (present middle participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राजानम्: king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• क्षत्रधर्मे: in the kshatriya-duty
• क्षत्रधर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• व्यवस्थितम्: standing firm/established
• व्यवस्थितम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• the unnamed king-opponent (rājā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even within kṣatriya-dharma, violence is bounded by higher ethical constraints: Arjuna restrains himself out of obedience to Yudhiṣṭhira’s injunction, showing that rightful command and dharma can limit the pursuit of victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

A king confronts Arjuna in battle. Arjuna warns him that fighting is futile because Arjuna has been ordered by Yudhiṣṭhira not to kill kings; he urges the opponent to withdraw to avoid defeat.