Shloka 17

Kṛṣṇasya Khāṇḍavaprasthāt Dvārakā-prayāṇaḥ | Krishna’s Departure for Dvārakā

Devanagari script

अभीषून्‌ सम्प्रजग्राह स्वयं कुरुपतिस्तदा । उपारुह्ार्जुनश्वापि चामरव्यजनं सितम्‌

Transliteration

abhīṣūn samprajagrāha svayaṁ kurupatis tadā | upāruharjunaś cāpi cāmaravyajanaṁ sitam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Da nahm der Herr der Kurus selbst die Zügel. Auch Arjuna stieg auf den Wagen und ergriff einen weißen Cāmara —einen Yakschwanz-Fächer— und übernahm die Rolle des Dieners im königlichen Zeremoniell.

Word by Word

अभीषून्reins

सम्प्रजग्राहtook up / seized

स्वयम्himself

कुरुपतिःthe lord of the Kurus (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

तदाthen

उपारुहत्mounted / ascended

अर्जुनःArjuna

चand

अपिalso

चामरव्यजनम्a yak-tail fan

सितम्white

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kurupati (Kuru king)

Arjuna

abhīṣu (reins)

cāmara-vyajana (white fly-whisk)

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 disciplined adherence to role and decorum: even eminent figures personally perform assigned duties, reflecting dharma as orderly conduct and respectful service within a social and royal setting.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates a scene of royal movement and ceremony: the Kuru ruler personally takes the reins, while Arjuna mounts and holds a white fly-whisk, indicating a formal attendant-like function in a courtly procession.