Shloka 21

Adhyāya 195 — Arjuna’s Capability and Restraint Regarding Divyāstras

Udyoga Parva

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिरो यत्र सैन्ये स्वयमेव बलार्णवे । तत्र ते पृथिवीपाला भूयिष्ठ॑ पर्यवस्थिता:

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhiro yatra sainye svayam eva balārṇave | tatra te pṛthivīpālā bhūyiṣṭhaḥ paryavasthitāḥ ||

Translation

Disse Vaiśampāyana: Onde o próprio Yudhiṣṭhira se mantinha no meio do exército—como um oceano de força—ali se reuniram em maior número os reis da terra, tomando posições ao seu redor. A cena ressalta como a liderança legítima e a autoridade percebida como conforme ao dharma atraem aliados, mesmo quando a guerra se torna iminente.

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

यत्रwhere

सैन्येin the army

स्वयम्himself

एवindeed/just

बलार्णवेin the ocean of forces (vast host)

तत्रthere

तेthose/they

पृथिवीपालाःkings (protectors of the earth)

भूयिष्ठम्mostly/for the most part

पर्यवस्थिताःwere stationed/arrayed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira

pṛthivīpālāḥ (kings/rulers)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical-political idea that dharmic authority and steady leadership attract support: many rulers choose to stand where Yudhiṣṭhira is present, suggesting confidence in his legitimacy and conduct even as conflict approaches.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the military array: Yudhiṣṭhira is positioned within the Pāṇḍava host, likened to an ocean of power, and numerous kings assemble and take their stations around him, indicating a concentration of allied rulers at his side.