Shloka 43

पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्

The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

सा गौस्तत्‌ सकल सैन्यं कालयामास दूरत: । विश्वामित्रस्य तत्‌ सैन्यं काल्यमानं त्रियोजनम्‌

Transliteration

sā gaus tat sakala-sainyaṃ kālayāmāsa dūrataḥ | viśvāmitrasya tat sainyaṃ kālyamānaṃ triyojanam ||

Translation

那头母牛在远处便使那整支军队被驱逐并摧毁。于是，绵延三由旬的毗湿瓦密多罗大军，在被击倒之际正遭到全面压制。

Word by Word

साshe/that (female)

गौःcow

तत्that

सकलentire, whole

सैन्यम्army

कालयामासmade (it) go/drive away; caused to move

दूरतःfrom afar, at a distance

विश्वामित्रस्यof Viśvāmitra

तत्that

सैन्यम्army

काल्यमानम्being driven/made to move

त्रियोजनम्three yojanas (in extent/distance)

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

ग

गौः (the cow)

व

विश्वामित्र (Viśvāmitra)

स

सैन्य (army)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that mere military strength and royal arrogance are not ultimate; power aligned with rightful protection and higher moral-spiritual order can prevail, and aggression against what is protected by dharma brings defeat.

What is happening in the narrative?

A miraculous cow (in the Vasiṣṭha–Viśvāmitra episode) acts from a distance to rout and destroy Viśvāmitra’s forces; his army, extending three yojanas, is shown being overwhelmed.