Shloka 12

सेनासमागमः — The Convergence of Armies

Devanagari script

तथैव राजा मत्स्यानां विराटो वाहिनीपति: । पर्वतीयैर्महीपालै: सहित: पाण्डवानियात्‌,इसी प्रकार मत्स्यनरेश सेनापति विराट भी पर्वतीय राजाओंके साथ पाण्डवोंकी सहायताके लिये प्रस्तुत थे

Transliteration

tathaiva rājā matsyānāṃ virāṭo vāhinīpatiḥ | parvatīyair mahīpālaiḥ sahitaḥ pāṇḍavān iyāt ||

Translation

同样，摩蹉国（Matsya）之王、统军之将维罗吒（Virāṭa），也已整军待发，偕同居于山岳之诸王，准备前往援助般度族（Pāṇḍava）。

Word by Word

तथाthus, in the same way

एवindeed, just

राजाking

मत्स्यानाम्of the Matsyas

विराटःVirata

वाहिनीपतिःcommander of the army

पर्वतीयैःwith the mountain(-region) (kings)

महीपालैःwith kings (protectors of the earth)

सहितःaccompanied, together with

पाण्डवान्the Pandavas

इयात्would go / should go (to aid)

Speaker

वैशमग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Virāṭa

Matsya (kingdom/people)

Pāṇḍavas

parvatīya mahīpālas (mountain kings/rulers)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic solidarity: rulers who recognize duty and prior bonds of protection and friendship align their power with a just cause, showing that political authority is ethically accountable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana lists allies assembling for the coming conflict: Virāṭa of Matsya, as an army leader, is prepared to march with mountain rulers to aid the Pāṇḍavas.