Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

तथैवारस्यर्त्विज: सर्वे तुल्यवेषा विशाम्पते । बभूवुरर्जुनश्वापि प्रदीप्त इव पावक:

Transliteration

tathaivārasyartvijaḥ sarve tulyaveṣā viśāmpate | babhūvur arjunaś cāpi pradīpta iva pāvakaḥ ||

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说道：“同样地，国王的诸位主祭祭司也都身着与他相同的礼服而显得庄严。阿周那亦光焰赫然，如点燃的烈火。”此景凸显王家大祭的秩序与尊严：外在形制的齐一映照出对法（dharma）的自律参与；而阿周那的光辉则表明，英雄之卓绝被置于合法祭礼之中，而非只为个人名声。

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अस्य: of him / of this (king)
• अस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ऋत्विजः: priests (officiants)
• ऋत्विजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तुल्यवेषाः: wearing similar attire
• तुल्यवेषाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्यवेष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विशाम्: of the people/subjects
• विशाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• पते: O lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• बभूवुः: became / were
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• प्रदीप्तः: blazing, radiant
• प्रदीप्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रदीप्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पावकः: fire
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• ṛtvijas (sacrificial priests)
• king (viśāmpati)
• fire (pāvaka/Agni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic order in a royal sacrifice: coordinated conduct and appearance among the officiants symbolizes disciplined participation in sacred duty, while Arjuna’s fiery radiance represents heroic power subordinated to righteous, communal purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Aśvamedha-related proceedings, the king’s priests are described as splendid and uniformly dressed like the king, and Arjuna is portrayed as shining intensely, compared to a blazing fire.