Shloka 19

Traigarta Attempt to Seize the Aśvamedha Horse; Arjuna’s Restraint and Tactical Victory

Devanagari script

अनुजममुर्महात्मान क्षत्रियाश्व विशाम्पते । विधिवत्‌ पृथिवीपाल धर्मराजस्य शासनात्‌

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Anujam amum mahātmānaṃ kṣatriyāś ca viśāṃpate | Vidhivat pṛthivīpālā dharmarājasya śāsanāt ||

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—اے رعایا کے سردار! بہت سے کشتری اور زمین کے حکمران دھرم راج کے فرمان کے تحت، پوری رسم کے مطابق، اُس مہاتما چھوٹے بھائی ارجن کے پیچھے چلے۔ اُن کے ساتھ ویدوں میں پارنگت بہت سے برہمن بھی دھرم راج کے حکم کی پیروی کرتے ہوئے ہمراہ ہوئے۔

Word by Word

• अनुजम्: younger brother
• अनुजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमुम्: that (person)
• अमुम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अदस् (प्रातिपदिक: अमु-)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• क्षत्रिय: O Kshatriya
• क्षत्रिय: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अश्व: O horse(-like one) / O Ashva (epithet)
• अश्व: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• विशाम्: of the people
• विशाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• पते: O lord
• पते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• विधिवत्: according to rule; duly
• विधिवत्: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• पृथिवीपालाः: kings; protectors of the earth
• पृथिवीपालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवीपाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• धर्मराजस्य: of Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira)
• धर्मराजस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शासनात्: from the command; by order
• शासनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रजानाथ: O lord of subjects
• प्रजानाथ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजानाथ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Kṣatriyas
• Pṛthivīpālas (kings/rulers)
• Veda-knowing Brāhmaṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma in governance: a righteous king’s command (Dharmarāja’s śāsana) is to be carried out in a lawful, ritually proper manner (vidhivat), and society’s leaders—kings, kṣatriyas, and learned Brāhmaṇas—support a legitimate royal enterprise through disciplined cooperation.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Aśvamedha-related events, Arjuna, the younger brother of Yudhiṣṭhira, proceeds on his mission accompanied by many kṣatriyas and rulers, and also by numerous Veda-versed Brāhmaṇas, all following him in accordance with Yudhiṣṭhira’s directive.