Shloka 8

Devanagari script

आपूृच्छ् धर्मराजान ब्राह्मणान्‌ स्वस्ति वाच्य च । सुमड्रलस्वस्त्ययनमारुरोह रथोत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | āpṛcchya dharmarājān brāhmaṇān svasti vācya ca | sumaṅgala-svastyayanaṃ āruroha rathottamam | prayāhi śīghraṃ govinda sūtaputra-jighāṃsayā |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Nachdem Arjuna sich von König Yudhiṣṭhira verabschiedet und die Brāhmaṇen gebeten hatte, Segensworte des Wohlergehens zu sprechen, bestieg er den besten aller Wagen — ein glückverheißendes Gefährt, von Riten des Heils begleitet. Dann drängte er Govinda, unverzüglich aufzubrechen, getragen von dem Entschluss, dem Sohn des Wagenlenkers (Karṇa) entgegenzutreten und ihn zu erschlagen. Die Szene zeigt: Selbst in der Eile des Krieges handelt der Krieger im Rahmen des Dharma — er erbittet Erlaubnis, ehrt das heilige Wort und schreitet mit feierlichem Zweck voran, nicht aus bloßer Wut.

Word by Word

• आपूृच्छ्य: having taken leave / having asked permission
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाले (having done)

• धर्मराजम्: Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira)
• धर्मराजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• स्वस्ति: well-being; auspiciousness
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वस्ति (अव्यय)

• वाच्य: to be uttered; should be spoken
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: ण्यत् (वाच्य), कर्मणि/भावे (gerundive), to be spoken / should be said

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• सुमङ्गलस्वस्त्ययनम्: highly auspicious and welfare-bringing
• सुमङ्गलस्वस्त्ययनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमङ्गल-स्वस्त्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आरुरोह: mounted / ascended
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद, कथित-भूतार्थे), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रथोत्तमम्: the best chariot
• रथोत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रयाहि: depart; go forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थे), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• गोविन्द: O Govinda (Krishna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सूतपुत्रजिघांसया: with the desire to kill the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतपुत्रजिघांसया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतपुत्र-जिघांसया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Govinda (Kṛṣṇa)
• Sūtaputra (Karna)
• Arjuna
• Ratha (chariot)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid the pressure of battle, action is framed by dharma: Arjuna seeks leave from Dharmarāja, receives brāhmaṇa blessings (svasti), and proceeds with disciplined intent. The verse highlights that righteous conduct includes honoring authority, sacred speech, and auspicious rites before undertaking grave violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna, after taking permission from Yudhiṣṭhira and obtaining benedictions from brāhmaṇas, mounts an excellent, auspicious chariot and urges Govinda (Kṛṣṇa) to depart quickly with the intention of killing Karna (referred to as sūtaputra).