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Shloka 27

Rukmī’s Offer of Aid and Arjuna’s Refusal (रुक्मिप्रस्तावः—अर्जुनप्रत्याख्यानम्)

ततो भेरीश्व॒ शड्खांश्व शतशो5थ सहस्रश: । वादयामासुरव्यग्रा वादका राजशासनात्‌,तदनन्तर बाजा बजानेवालोंने राजाकी आज्ञासे निर्भय होकर सैकड़ों और हजारों भेरियों तथा शंखोंको बजाया

tato bherīś ca śaṅkhāṃś ca śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ | vādayāmāsur avyagrā vādakā rājaśāsanāt ||

ततो भेरीश्च शङ्खांश्च शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । वादयामासुरव्यग्राः वादका राजशासनात् ॥

ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
भेरीःkettle-drums
भेरीः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभेरी
FormFeminine, Accusative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
शङ्खान्conch-shells
शङ्खान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशङ्ख
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
शतशःby hundreds, in hundreds
शतशः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootशतशः
अथthen, and then
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
सहस्रशःby thousands, in thousands
सहस्रशः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसहस्रशः
वादयामासुःthey caused to be sounded / they played
वादयामासुः:
TypeVerb
Rootवादयामास (वादय्- causative of √वद्/√वाद् in sense 'to sound, to play' + आमास; periphrastic perfect)
FormPeriphrastic Perfect (लिट्-परस्मैपदम्, आमास-योगः), 3rd, Plural
अव्यग्राःunagitated, fearless, unperturbed
अव्यग्राः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअव्यग्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वादकाःmusicians, players
वादकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवादक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
राजशासनात्from the king's command / by order of the king
राजशासनात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootराजशासन
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
K
king (rājā)
B
bherī (war-drums)
Ś
śaṅkha (conches)
V
vādakāḥ (musicians)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the force of legitimate authority in public life: a king’s command can mobilize society swiftly, and the composed obedience of officials and performers reflects ordered governance—an aspect of rājadharma—even as events move toward war.

After a key development, musicians, acting on the king’s order, loudly sound vast numbers of drums and conches. This functions as a public signal—an announcement and rallying call—marking heightened readiness and the escalation of the political-military situation.