Shloka 25

Aśvamedha-dīkṣā, Vyāsa’s horse-release, and Arjuna’s departure with Gāṇḍīva (आश्वमेधिक-दीक्षा तथा हय-उत्सर्गः)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा स धर्मात्मा भ्रातरं सव्यसाचिनम्‌ | भीमं च नकुलं॑ चैव पुरगुप्ती समादधत्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन! अपने भाई सव्यसाची अर्जुनसे ऐसा कहकर धर्मात्मा राजा युधिष्ठिरने भीमसेन और नकुलको नगरकी रक्षाका भार सौंप दिया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | evam uktvā sa dharmātmā bhrātaraṃ savyasācinam | bhīmaṃ ca nakulaṃ caiva puraguptīṃ samādadhat ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు అన్నాడు—రాజా! తన సవ్యసాచీ సోదరుడు అర్జునునికి ఇలా చెప్పిన తరువాత, ధర్మాత్ముడైన యుధిష్ఠిరుడు భీమసేనునికీ నకులునికీ నగరరక్షణ బాధ్యతను అప్పగించాడు.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

एवम्thus

उक्त्वाhaving said

सःhe

धर्मात्माrighteous-souled

भ्रातरम्brother

सव्यसाचिनम्Savyasācin (Arjuna)

भीमम्Bhīma

चand

नकुलम्Nakula

चand

एवindeed/just

पुरगुप्तीम्city-guarding; protection of the city

समादधत्assigned/entrusted

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira

Arjuna (Savyasācin)

Bhīma

Nakula

the city (pura)

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?

Dharma is expressed not only in heroic deeds but also in responsible administration: a righteous king maintains public safety by delegating duties to capable, trusted persons.

What is happening in the narrative?

After addressing Arjuna, Yudhiṣṭhira assigns Bhīma and Nakula the task of protecting the city, organizing security as part of restoring stable rule.