Shloka 9

Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

क्षत्रधर्मे स्थितो भूत्वा यथाशास्त्रं यथाविधि । उदीक्षमाण: पृतनां जयामि युधि वासव

Transliteration

kṣatradharme sthito bhūtvā yathāśāstraṃ yathāvidhi | udīkṣamāṇaḥ pṛtanāṃ jayāmi yudhi vāsava deveśa ||

Translation

安婆利沙说：“我安住于刹帝利之法，依诸论典与所定仪轨而行，统摄军旅，并在战场上战胜仇敌——噢，婆娑婆（Vāsava），诸天之主。”

Word by Word

• क्षत्रधर्मे: in the kshatriya-duty
• क्षत्रधर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• स्थितः: standing/abiding
• स्थितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) / स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• यथा: according to/as
• यथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• शास्त्रम्: the scripture/ordinance
• शास्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: according to/as
• यथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• विधि: the prescribed rule/method
• विधि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उदीक्षमाणः: observing/overseeing
• उदीक्षमाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-ईक्ष् (धातु) / उदीक्षमाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Present participle (Parasmaipada)

• पृतनाम्: the army
• पृतनाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृतना
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• जयामि: I conquer/I win
• जयामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada, Active

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध् (युद्ध) / युध् (प्रातिपदिक: युध्/युद्ध)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• वासव: O Vāsava (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• देवेन्द्र: O lord of the gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

अमग्बरीष उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Ambarīṣa
• Vāsava (Indra)
• deveśa (lord of the gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames military success as legitimate only when rooted in kṣatriya-dharma and regulated by śāstric norms—victory is presented as the outcome of disciplined duty performed ‘according to scripture and proper procedure,’ not mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Ambarīṣa addresses Indra (Vāsava), describing his own conduct as a ruler-warrior: he remained established in kṣatriya duty, supervised his forces, and achieved victory in battle while adhering to prescribed rules.