Shloka 26

Saṃvaraṇa–Tapatī Vivāhaḥ (The Marriage of Saṃvaraṇa and Tapatī) — Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva 163

Devanagari script

ततो<स्य जानुना पृष्ठठगवपीड्य बलादिव । बाहुना परिजग्राह दक्षिणेन शिरोधराम्‌,तदनन्तर उन्होंने अपने एक घुटनेसे बल-पूर्वक राक्षसकी पीठ दबाकर दाहिने हाथसे उसकी गर्दन पकड़ ली और बायें हाथसे कमरका लँगोट पकड़कर उस राक्षसको दुहरा मोड़ दिया। उस समय वह बड़ी भयानक आवाज में चीत्कार कर रहा था

Transliteration

tato 'sya jānunā pṛṣṭhaṭhagavāpīḍya balād iva | bāhunā parijagrāha dakṣiṇena śirodharām |

Translation

แล้วเขาก็กดหลังของยักษ์นั้นด้วยเข่าอย่างสุดแรง และใช้แขนขวาจับรั้งลำคอไว้

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अस्य: of him/its
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• जानुना: with (his) knee
• जानुना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• पृष्ठम्: back
• पृष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अवपीड्य: having pressed down
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-पीड्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), active

• बलात्: by force, forcibly
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• बाहुना: with (his) arm
• बाहुना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• परिजग्राह: seized, grasped
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ग्रह्
• Form: perfect (लिट्), third, singular, active

• दक्षिणेन: with the right (hand/arm)
• दक्षिणेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, singular

• शिरोधराम्: neck (lit. head-support)
• शिरोधराम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरोधरा
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rākṣasa
• knee
• back
• right arm
• neck (śirodharā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical use of strength: force is depicted as a means to restrain a dangerous aggressor, aligning power with protection rather than needless harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

A rākṣasa is physically overpowered—his back is pinned with a knee and his neck is seized with the right arm—showing a close-quarters struggle where the opponent is brought under control.