Shloka 37

Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

पत्नीशाला कृता यस्य परेषां वाहिनीमुखम्‌

Transliteration

patnīśālā kṛtā yasya pareṣāṃ vāhinīmukham

Translation

ଅମ୍ବରୀଷ କହିଲେ—ଯାହା ପାଇଁ ପରମାନଙ୍କ ସେନାମୁଖ ‘ପତ୍ନୀଶାଳା’ ହୋଇଯାଏ—ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ଯାହାର ଯୁଦ୍ଧ-ଅଗ୍ରଦଳ ଗୃହାଶ୍ରୟ ଓ ଭୋଗବିଲାସର ସ୍ଥାନକୁ ଅବନତ ହୋଇପଡ଼େ—ସେ ନେତୃତ୍ୱଧର୍ମ ଓ ଧର୍ମାଚରଣର କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟରେ ପ୍ରକୃତରେ ଦୃଢ଼ ରହିପାରେ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• पत्नीशाला: women’s quarters; harem
• पत्नीशाला: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी-शाला
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कृता: made; turned into
• कृता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (कृत)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• यस्य: of whom; whose
• यस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• परेषाम्: of others; of enemies
• परेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वाहिनीमुखम्: the front/van of an army
• वाहिनीमुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहिनी-मुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

अम्बरीष उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ambarīṣa
• vāhinī (army/vanguard)
• patnīśālā (wives’ pavilion)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses a sharp metaphor to warn that a leader who lets sensuality or domestic indulgence dominate his public duty becomes unfit for steadfast, righteous leadership; self-mastery is presented as essential to dharma and governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Ambarīṣa speaks in a moralizing tone, criticizing a type of ruler/warrior whose military resolve is metaphorically ‘converted’ into a private pleasure-space, implying loss of discipline and public responsibility.