Shloka 33

नकुलस्य प्रतीची-दिग्विजयः

Nakula’s Conquest of the Western Quarter

Devanagari script

पज्चालान्‌ विविधोपायै: सान्त्वयामास पाण्डव: । नरश्रेष्ठ भीमसेनने पहले पांचालोंकी महानगरी अहिच्छत्रामें जाकर भाँति-भाँतिके उपायोंसे पांचाल वीरोंको समझा-बुझाकर वशमें किया

Transliteration

Pañcālān vividhopāyaiḥ sāntvayāmāsa Pāṇḍavaḥ.

Translation

毗湿摩耶那说道：那位般度之子运用多种权宜之策，安抚并调和般遮罗诸人，使其归于节制之下。由此可见，史诗中的政治目的并非唯凭武力达成，亦常借助劝说与机宜。

Word by Word

• पाञ्चालान्: the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विविधोपायैः: by various means/strategies
• विविधोपायैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विविध-उपाय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सान्त्वयामास: conciliated / won over
• Type: Verb
• Root: सान्त्वय्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (Bhima)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍava
• Pañcālas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic preference for achieving objectives through sāntva (conciliation) and intelligent upāya (skillful means) before resorting to harsher measures—an ethical model of leadership that values persuasion and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that a Pāṇḍava wins over the Pañcālas using multiple strategies of conciliation, indicating a deliberate effort to secure cooperation and political alignment.