Shloka 48

बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः

Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra

Devanagari script

सच वाजी यशथेष्टेन तांस्तान्‌ देशान्‌ यथाक्रमम्‌ । विचचार यथाकामं कर्म पार्थस्य वर्धयन्‌,वह अश्व यथेष्टगतिसे क्रमश: सभी देशोंमें घूमता और अर्जुनके पराक्रमका विस्तार करता हुआ इच्छानुसार विचरने लगा

Transliteration

sa ca vājī yathā-iṣṭena tāṁs tān deśān yathākramam | vicacāra yathākāmaṁ karma pārthasya vardhayan ||

Translation

毗湿摩耶那说：那匹马随心所欲地行进，依次游历诸国诸地；任意驰骋之间，不断增广帕尔塔（阿周那）的声名与功业。

Word by Word

• सः: he (that one)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाजी: the horse
• वाजी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथेष्टेन: as desired; at will (by/with its own will)
• यथेष्टेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथेष्ट
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तान्: those (various)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• देशान्: countries/regions
• देशान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• यथाक्रमम्: in due order; successively
• यथाक्रमम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथाक्रम
• Form: true

• विचचार: wandered/roamed about
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चर्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यथाकामम्: as he pleased; at will
• यथाकामम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथाकाम
• Form: true

• कर्म: deed; action; exploit
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पार्थस्य: of Partha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वर्धयन्: increasing; augmenting
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध्
• Form: Present active participle (śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• vājī (the sacrificial horse)
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• deśāḥ (various regions/countries)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights orderly kingship and kṣatriya responsibility: the Ashvamedha horse’s free yet regulated movement symbolizes sovereign authority tested across regions, while Arjuna’s role is to uphold that authority through disciplined action that increases rightful renown.

What is happening in the narrative?

The sacrificial horse is released to roam through various lands in sequence, moving freely; as it travels, it becomes the occasion for Arjuna’s exploits and the expansion of his fame and the ritual’s political-religious purpose.