Shloka 2

सहदेव-दक्षिण-दिग्विजयः — Sahadeva’s Southern Conquest and the Māhiṣmatī–Agni Encounter

Devanagari script

महता संनिपातेन क्षत्रियान्तकरेण ह । अजयत्‌ पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ: करे चैनं न्‍नयवेशयत्‌

Transliteration

mahātā saṁnipātena kṣatriyāntakareṇa ha | ajayat pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaḥ kare cainaṁ nyaveśayat ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Bằng cuộc tập hợp binh lực lớn lao và một trận chiến dữ dội, sát hại nhiều chiến binh kṣatriya, bậc nhất trong các Pāṇḍava đã giành thắng lợi; rồi sau khi khuất phục vị vua ấy, ngài đặt ông ta trở lại ngôi cũ với điều kiện phải tiếp tục nộp cống.

Word by Word

• महता: by a great (means)
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• संनिपातेन: by an encounter/muster; by a battle
• संनिपातेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संनिपात
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• क्षत्रियान्तकरेण: by (one) causing the destruction of kshatriyas
• क्षत्रियान्तकरेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षत्रियान्तकर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• ह: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• अजयत्: conquered
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डवश्रेष्ठः: the best of the Pandavas (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवश्रेष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• करे: in/under tribute; in tax (payment)
• करे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनयत्: led/brought
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अवेशयत्: caused to enter/installed
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश्
• Form: Causative imperfect (Lan), Preraka, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavaśreṣṭha (Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a model of rājadharma in conquest: victory is not merely annihilation but the establishment of political order—subduing a ruler and then reinstalling him under the obligation of tribute, thereby converting violence into a stable, governed relationship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the foremost Pāṇḍava wins a major battle, conquers the region/ruler, and then reinstates the defeated king on his throne with the condition that he will pay regular tribute (kara).