Shloka 6
अश्वमेधीयस्य हयस्य दक्षिणापश्चिमगमनम् — The Sacrificial Horse’s Southern and Western Circuit
Devanagari script
ते वध्यमाना: पार्थेन हयमुत्सृज्य सम्भ्रमात्
Transliteration
te vadhyamānāḥ pārthena hayam utsṛjya sambhramāt
Translation
毗湿摩耶那说道：被帕尔塔（阿周那）击溃后，他们——惊惶失措——弃下阿湿婆梅陀祭马，仓皇奔逃，乱作一团。此景昭示：当侵凌遭遇正当的抗拒，恐惧与紊乱便随之滋生；而祭马遂成王权主宰的核心象征，挑战者终究无法夺取。
Word by Word
तेthey (those)
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वध्यमानाःbeing slain / being struck down
वध्यमानाः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवध्
FormPresent passive participle (शानच्), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
पार्थेनby Partha (Arjuna)
पार्थेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootपार्थ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
हयम्the horse
हयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
उत्सृज्यhaving released / letting go
उत्सृज्य:
TypeVerb
Rootउत्-√सृज्
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage)
सम्भ्रमात्from confusion / out of panic
सम्भ्रमात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootसम्भ्रम
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaP
Pārtha (Arjuna)A
Aśvamedha horseCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
When power is exercised in defense of rightful order (dharma), those driven by challenge or greed often collapse into fear and confusion; the verse highlights the moral and political weight carried by the Aśvamedha horse as a symbol of legitimate sovereignty.
As Arjuna attacks and overpowers the opposing group, they panic and abandon the sacrificial horse, retreating in disorder—showing Arjuna’s successful protection of the Aśvamedha procession.