Shloka 23

Devanagari script

दत्तामित्र इति ख्यातं संग्रामे कृतनिश्चयम्‌ । सुमित्रं नाम सौवीरमर्जुनोडदमयच्छरै:,जो अत्यन्त बली तथा कौरवोंके प्रति सदा अभिमान एवं उद्दण्डतापूर्ण बर्ताव करनेवाला था, वह सौवीरनरेश विपुल भी बुद्धिमान्‌ अर्जुनके हाथसे संग्रामभूमिमें मारा गया। जो सदा युद्धके लिये दृढ़ संकल्प किये रहता था, जिसे लोग दत्तामित्रके नामसे जानते थे, उस सौवीरनिवासी सुमित्रका भी अर्जुनने अपने बाणोंसे दमन कर दिया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | dattāmitra iti khyātaṃ saṃgrāme kṛtaniścayam | sumitraṃ nāma sauvīram arjuno damayac charaiḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩耶那说道：阿周那以箭矢降伏苏毗罗之王苏密多罗——人称“达塔密特拉”，素以临阵决绝著名。于是，那位以战场坚毅而受颂扬者，也在交锋之地被迫受制，显明武人的骄矜与执拗，终有其限；在更胜的神勇与战斗的命数之前，皆须低头。

Word by Word

दत्तामित्रःDattāmitra (one named/known as “given-friend”)

इतिthus

ख्यातम्known, famed

संग्रामेin battle

कृतनिश्चयम्having made a firm resolve

सुमित्रम्Sumitra (proper name)

नामby name

सौवीरम्a Sauvēra (man/king of Sauvēra)

अर्जुनःArjuna

दमयत्subdued

शरैःwith arrows

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

Sumitra

Dattāmitra

Sauvīra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores a recurring Mahābhārata ethic: mere reputation and resolute intent in war do not guarantee victory; pride and aggression are checked by stronger skill, circumstance, and the larger moral order governing conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna, using his arrows, subdued (and in the broader narrative context, defeats) Sumitra of Sauvīra, who was famed by the epithet ‘Dattāmitra’ and known for unwavering readiness for battle.