Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणाश्ष महीपाल बहवो वेदपारगा:,महाराज! प्रजानाथ! उनके सिवा और भी बहुत-से वेदोंमें पारंगत ब्राह्मणों और क्षत्रियोंने धर्मराजकी आज्ञासे विधिपूर्वक महात्मा अर्जुनका अनुसरण किया

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: brāhmaṇāś ca mahīpāla bahavo vedapāragāḥ, mahārāja prajānātha; teṣāṃ śeṣāś ca bahavo vedapāraga-brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyāś ca dharmarājasyājñayā vidhipūrvakaṃ mahātmānam arjunam anvayuḥ.

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: “Tâu đại vương, bậc hộ dân, có rất nhiều Bà-la-môn tinh thông Veda đã theo cùng. Lại nữa, ngoài họ ra, còn nhiều Bà-la-môn và Sát-đế-lợi khác, uyên thâm Veda, cũng tháp tùng đại hồn Arjuna—đi theo đúng nghi thức và vâng mệnh Dharmarāja.”

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महीपाल: O king (protector of the earth)
• महीपाल: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वेदपारगाः: versed in the Vedas
• वेदपारगाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदपारग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Kṣatriyas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined obedience to righteous authority (Dharmarāja) and the ethical ideal that major royal undertakings—especially sacrificial rites—should be supported by learned and properly qualified participants acting according to prescribed procedure (vidhi).

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Ashvamedha context, Arjuna proceeds as the chief follower/guardian, and many Veda-versed Brāhmaṇas along with Kṣatriyas accompany him, formally and ritually, because Yudhiṣṭhira has ordered it.