Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

ऑपन-- माल छा अकाल त्रिसप्ततितमो<ध्याय: सेनासहित अर्जुनके द्वारा अश्वका अनुसरण वैशम्पायन उवाच दीक्षाकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते ततस्ते सुमहर्त्विज: । विधिवद्‌ दीक्षयामासुरश्चवमेधाय पार्थिवम्‌

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: dīkṣākāle tu samprāpte tatas te sumahartvijaḥ | vidhivad dīkṣayāmāsur aśvamedhāya pārthivam ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那曰：“阇那梅阇耶啊！当受戒灌顶之时既至，毗耶娑等诸位大祭官（ṛtvij）便依仪轨，为王行阿湿婆梅陀（Aśvamedha）之祭而施行入礼。”此叙事昭示：纵为王权，亦当置于祭仪之法与自制之纪律之下，使主权之施行契合于法（dharma），而非徒恃武力。

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दीक्षाकाले: at the time of consecration (dīkṣā)
• दीक्षाकाले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षाकाल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• सम्प्राप्ते: having arrived/when (it) had come
• सम्प्राप्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप्
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुमहर्त्विजः: very great priests (ṛtviks)
• सुमहर्त्विजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमहर्त्विज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विधिवत्: according to rule, duly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• दीक्षयामासुः: consecrated (initiated)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दीक्ष्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada, true

• अश्वमेधाय: for the Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• अश्वमेधाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• पार्थिवम्: the king (earth-lord)
• पार्थिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• ṛtvij (officiating priests)
• Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• dīkṣā (consecration/initiation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate rule is not merely political victory; it must be ritually and ethically regulated. The king submits to prescribed discipline (vidhi) through dīkṣā, signaling accountability to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

At the proper time for consecration, the eminent priests formally initiate King Yudhiṣṭhira for the Aśvamedha sacrifice, marking the beginning of the rite’s regulated sequence.