Shloka 8

Amba’s Disclosure of Prior Choice (Śālva) and Appeal to Bhīṣma — Chapter 171

Devanagari script

एते चान्ये च बहवो नानाजनपदेश्वरा: । समेता: पाण्डवस्यार्थे वासुदेवपुरोगमा:

Transliteration

ete cānye ca bahavo nānājanapadeśvarāḥ | sametāḥ pāṇḍavasyārthe vāsudevapurogamāḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Diese und viele andere Herrscher aus verschiedensten Reichen haben sich zur Unterstützung der Sache der Pāṇḍavas versammelt, mit Vāsudeva an ihrer Spitze.“

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नाना-जनपद-ईश्वराः: lords/rulers of various kingdoms
• नाना-जनपद-ईश्वराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समेताः: assembled, gathered
• समेताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-इ (समेत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पाण्डवस्य: of the Pandava
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अर्थे: for the sake/purpose
• अर्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वासुदेव-पुरोगमाः: having Vasudeva (Krishna) in front/at the head
• वासुदेव-पुरोगमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरोगम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Pāṇḍava (Pāṇḍavas / Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• janapadas (various realms)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate causes in dharma are strengthened not merely by numbers but by principled leadership: the verse highlights collective support for the Pāṇḍavas’ cause, with Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) as the guiding forefront, implying moral and strategic authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing the political-military alignment before the great war: many kings from different regions have gathered to back the Pāṇḍavas, and their coalition is portrayed as being led and coordinated by Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa).