Shloka 11

Śiśupāla-vadha in the Rājasūya-sabhā (शिशुपालवधः — राजसूयसभायाम्)

Devanagari script

त्रिशिखां भ्रुकु्टी चास्य ददृशु: सर्वपार्थिवा: । ललाटस्थां त्रिकूटस्थां गड़ां त्रिपथगामिव

Transliteration

triśikhāṃ bhru-kuṭī cāsya dadṛśuḥ sarva-pārthivāḥ | lalāṭasthāṃ trikūṭasthāṃ gaṅgāṃ tripathagām iva ||

Translation

毗湿摩波衍那说道：诸王都看见他的眉间在额上紧绷成三道皱纹——宛如三道奔流的恒河，在特里库塔山上翻涌而起。

Word by Word

• त्रिशिखाम्: having three peaks/crests (three-fold)
• त्रिशिखाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिशिखा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भ्रुकुटीम्: frown; knitted brow
• भ्रुकुटीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रुकुटी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• अस्य: of him; his
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ददृशुः: they saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

• सर्वपार्थिवाः: all the kings
• सर्वपार्थिवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वपार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ललाटस्थाम्: situated on the forehead
• ललाटस्थाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ललाटस्थ
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• त्रिकूटस्थाम्: standing on Trikūṭa (mountain)
• त्रिकूटस्थाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिकूटस्थ
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गङ्गाम्: the Gaṅgā (river)
• गङ्गाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• त्रिपथगाम्: going in three paths (heaven/earth/netherworld)
• त्रिपथगाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिपथगा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• sarva-pārthivāḥ (the assembled kings)
• Gaṅgā
• Trikūṭa (mountain)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Public anger in a royal assembly is not merely personal emotion; it becomes a political and ethical signal. The verse warns that when honor is strained and resentment rises, rulers must restrain passion and return to dharma, or the entire polity can be drawn toward conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the court setting, all the kings observe a visible transformation: the central figure’s eyebrows knit into a three-lined frown on his forehead. The poet compares this to the three-course Gaṅgā swelling on Mount Trikūṭa, emphasizing the intensity and ominous force of the moment.