Shloka 9

Devanagari script

इदं हि वासो यदि वेदृशानां मनस्विनां रौरवमाहवेषु । अदीक्षितानामजिनानि यद्वद्‌ बलीयसां पश्यत पाण्डवानाम्‌

Transliteration

idaṃ hi vāso yadi vīdṛśānāṃ manasvināṃ rauravam āhaveṣu | adīkṣitānām ajināni yadvat balīyasāṃ paśyata pāṇḍavānām ||

Translation

ଦେଖ, ଏହି ମହାମନସ୍ବୀ ଓ ବଳବାନ ପାଣ୍ଡବମାନଙ୍କର ଏହି ମୃଗଚର୍ମମୟ ବସ୍ତ୍ର—ଯୁଦ୍ଧକୋଳାହଳ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ପରିଧାନ କରାଯାଇଛି। ଏପରି ଆବରଣ ଦୃଢ଼ ପୁରୁଷଙ୍କୁ ଶୋଭେ; କିନ୍ତୁ ଏମାନଙ୍କ ଦେହରେ ଏହା ଯଜ୍ଞଦୀକ୍ଷାସମ୍ବନ୍ଧୀୟ ପବିତ୍ର ମୃଗଚର୍ମ ନୁହେଁ, ଦୀକ୍ଷାହୀନମାନଙ୍କ ଚର୍ମବସ୍ତ୍ର ପରି ଲାଗୁଛି—ଧର୍ମ ଓ କ୍ରିୟାମର୍ଯ୍ୟାଦା ଅସ୍ୱୀକାର କରି ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ଲଜ୍ଜିତ କରିବା ପାଇଁ।

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• वासः: garment/clothing
• वासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• ईदृशानाम्: of such (people)
• ईदृशानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• मनस्विनाम्: of high-minded/spirited (men)
• मनस्विनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रौरवम्: a kind of deer-skin/raurava (hide)
• रौरवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौरव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आहवेषु: in battles
• आहवेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• अदीक्षितानाम्: of the uninitiated (not consecrated)
• अदीक्षितानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदीक्षित
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अजिनानि: skins/hides (deerskins)
• अजिनानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजिन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• यद्वत्: just as/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत्

• बलीयसाम्: of the stronger/mightier
• बलीयसाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पश्यत: see! behold!
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pandavas
• पाण्डवानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• skin-garment (ajina/vāsaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how social and ethical standing is rhetorically constructed through symbols: a deerskin can signify sacred discipline when linked to dīkṣā (consecration), but the same object can be weaponized as an insult by denying that sacred context. It warns how dharma-language and ritual markers may be used to confer or strip honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Sabha Parva’s tense court setting, the Pāṇḍavas are being publicly disparaged. Their hide-garments are pointed out and reinterpreted not as dignified, rite-associated attire but as the crude skins of the uninitiated—an attempt to shame them and undermine their prestige.