Shloka 7

Śiśupāla’s Protest Against the Arghya to Kṛṣṇa (शिशुपाल-आक्षेपः)

Devanagari script

अचलो वृषकश्चैव कर्णश्न राथिनां वर: । तथा शल्यश्न बलवान्‌ बाह्विकश्चन महाबल:

Transliteration

acalo vṛṣakaś caiva karṇaś ca rathināṁ varaḥ | tathā śalyaś ca balavān bāhlīkaś ca mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Unter den vornehmsten Wagenkriegern waren Acala und Vṛṣaka, und Karṇa, der Beste der Rathins. Ebenso waren Śalya, gewaltig an Kraft, und Bāhlīka von großer Macht zugegen.

Word by Word

अचलःAchala (a warrior named Achala)

वृषकःVṛṣaka (a warrior named Vṛṣaka)

चand

एवindeed/also

कर्णःKarna

रथिनाम्of chariot-warriors

वरःthe best/excellent

तथाlikewise/so

शल्यःShalya

बलवान्strong/mighty

बाह्विकःBāhvika (a warrior named Bāhvika)

चand

महाबलःvery strong/mighty

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Acala

Vṛṣaka

Karṇa

Śalya

Bāhlīka

rathin (chariot-warrior)

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 how political assemblies and decisions are often framed by the presence of celebrated military power; ethical judgment (dharma in counsel) can be pressured or emboldened when great warriors stand behind a cause.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana enumerates prominent chariot-warriors present/recognized in the context, naming Acala, Vṛṣaka, Karṇa, Śalya, and Bāhlīka, emphasizing the formidable strength aligned with the Kuru court.