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Shloka 23

Arjuna Confronted by Saindhava Forces during the Aśvamedha Circuit (श्वेतवाहनस्य सैन्धवसंघर्षः)

Devanagari script

अब्रवीद्धि महातेजा: प्रस्थितं मां युधिष्ठिर: । राजानस्ते न हन्तव्या धनंजय कथंचन

Transliteration

abravīd dhi mahātejāḥ prasthitaṃ māṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | rājānas te na hantavyā dhanaṃjaya kathaṃcana, vaktavyāś cāpi rājānaḥ sarve sahasuhṛjjanaiḥ | yudhiṣṭhirasya aśvamedho bhavadbhir anubhūyatām ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：当我将要出发时，威光赫奕的由提施提罗对我说道：“檀那阇耶，那些国王无论如何都不可杀。反而要告知诸王，携其友人与善意之士，一同前来参加由提施提罗的马祭（阿湿婆梅陀）庆典。”此令表明，胜利并非继续征服，而是以克制与和解，通过王家大祭公开重建合乎达摩的秩序。

Word by Word
अब्रवीत्said/spoke
अब्रवीत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (धातु)
Formलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
महातेजाःthe great-splendoured one
महातेजाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहातेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन
प्रस्थितम्departed/setting out
प्रस्थितम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रस्थित (प्र + स्था; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन
माम्me
माम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन
युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन
राजानःkings
राजानः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
तेthose/they
ते:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
हन्तव्याःto be killed (should be killed)
हन्तव्याः:
TypeAdjective
Rootहन्तव्य (हन् धातु; तव्यत्-कृदन्त)
Formपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
धनंजयO Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
धनंजय:
TypeNoun
Rootधनंजय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
कथंचनin any way/at all
कथंचन:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथंचन
वक्तव्याःto be told (should be told)
वक्तव्याः:
TypeAdjective
Rootवक्तव्य (वच् धातु; तव्यत्-कृदन्त)
Formपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
अथthen/and now
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
अपिalso/even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
राजानःkings
राजानः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
सहtogether with
सह:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसह
सुहृज्जनैःwith friends/well-wishers
सुहृज्जनैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसुहृज्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन
युधिष्ठिरस्यof Yudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिरस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचन
अश्वमेधःAśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
अश्वमेधः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन
भवद्भिःby you / with you (honorific plural)
भवद्भिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootभवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन
अनुभूयताम्let it be experienced/enjoyed
अनुभूयताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootअनु + भू (धातु)
Formलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथम, एकवचन, कर्मणि (passive)
Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities
V
Vaiśaṃpāyana
Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
D
Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna)
K
kings (rājānaḥ)
A
Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice/royal rite)
Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

Even after a devastating war, righteous rule requires restraint: enemies are not to be hunted down, but invited into a renewed moral and political order. The Aśvamedha here becomes a means of consolidating sovereignty through consent, hospitality, and dharmic legitimacy rather than violence.

As a mission is being undertaken (with the speaker departing), Yudhiṣṭhira gives instructions to Arjuna: do not kill the regional kings; instead, inform them to come with their allies and well-wishers to participate in and enjoy Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha festivities.

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