Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

कृत्वा स पशुबन्धांश्व दीक्षित: पाण्डुनन्दन: । धर्मराजो महातेजा: सहर्व्विम्भिव्यरोचत,पशुबन्ध-कर्म करके यज्ञकी दीक्षा लिये हुए महातेजस्वी पाण्डुनन्दन धर्मराज युधिष्छिर ऋत्विजोंके साथ बड़ी शोभा पाने लगे

Transliteration

kṛtvā sa paśubandhān aśvān dīkṣitaḥ pāṇḍunandanaḥ | dharmarājo mahātejāḥ sahartvijbhir vyarocat ||

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说道：当他依照仪轨完成了系缚祭牲的诸般规定之事，并受持了为此仪式而立的灌顶誓戒之后，般度之子——大放光辉的法王（Dharmarāja）由提施提罗——在诸位主祭祭司（ṛtvij）的陪同下熠熠生辉。此景昭示：战乱之后，王权以受吠陀法度约束的祭祀与自律，重归于法（dharma）。

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पशुबन्धान्: animal-ties/animal-bindings (ritual bindings)
• पशुबन्धान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दीक्षितः: initiated (having taken consecration)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक; √दिक्ष्/दीक्ष् + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाण्डुनन्दनः: son of Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डुनन्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुनन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मराजः: king of dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: indeclinable (with)

• ऋत्विग्भिः: with the priests (ṛtviks)
• ऋत्विग्भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• व्यरोचत: shone, appeared splendid
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुच् (धातु) + वि
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja, Pāṇḍunandana)
• ṛtvij (officiating priests)
• aśva (horse)
• paśu (sacrificial animal)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed through disciplined, rule-bound action: the king’s consecration (dīkṣā) and performance of prescribed rites symbolize ethical self-restraint and the re-establishment of righteous order through legitimate Vedic procedure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira has undertaken the consecration for the Aśvamedha and completed the ritual step of arranging/binding the sacrificial animals; surrounded by the officiating priests, he appears radiant, marking the formal commencement and public visibility of the sacrifice.