Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

यस्तु सेनापतिं हत्वा तद्यानमधिरोहति

Transliteration

yastu senāpatiṁ hatvā tadyānam adhirohati

Translation

కాని ఎవడు సేనాపతిని హతమార్చి, ఆ సేనాపతియే యానంపై (రథం/వాహనం) ఎక్కుతాడో.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• सेनापतिम्: the commander of the army
• सेनापतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेनापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हत्वा: having slain/killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (अव्ययभाव/तुमुन्-समकक्ष), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाल (absolutive)

• तत्: that (his/that very)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यानम्: vehicle/chariot
• यानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अधिरोहति: mounts/ascends
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, वर्तमान, प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

अम्बरीष उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ambarīṣa
• senāpati (army commander)
• yāna (vehicle/chariot)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line frames an ethical problem in warfare: after killing a leader, taking and using the slain commander’s own vehicle symbolizes appropriation of the enemy’s status and resources. In Śānti Parva’s moral discourse, such acts are typically evaluated in terms of dharma—whether victory is pursued with restraint and honor or with exploitative triumphalism.

What is happening in the narrative?

Ambarīṣa is speaking within a didactic discussion. This half-verse introduces a scenario: a warrior kills the opposing army’s commander and then climbs onto the commander’s conveyance (likely a chariot). The surrounding verses (not provided here) commonly continue by judging the act’s merit or fault and clarifying proper conduct in battle.