Shloka 8

Devanagari script

स्वस्त्रीयो वासुदेवस्य साक्षाद्‌ देवशिशुर्यथा । दयितश्चक्रहस्तस्य सर्वास्त्रिषु च कोविद:,मेरा पुत्र देवकुमारके समान है। वह साक्षात्‌ भगवान्‌ वासुदेवका भानजा है। चक्रधारी श्रीकृष्णको वह बहुत प्रिय है। साथ ही वह सब प्रकारकी अस्त्रविद्यामें कुशल है

Transliteration

svastīryo vāsudevasya sākṣād devaśiśur yathā | dayitaś cakrahastasya sarvāstriṣu ca kovidaḥ ||

Translation

Arjuna sprach: „Er ist der Sohn der Schwester Vāsudevas selbst, gleich einem göttlichen Kind, sichtbar erschienen. Dem diskustragenden Kṛṣṇa ist er lieb, und in jeder Waffenlehre ist er kundig.“

Word by Word

स्वस्त्रीयःone having (his) own sister (i.e., sister's son/kinsman by sister)

वासुदेवस्यof Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

साक्षात्directly, in person, manifestly

देवशिशुःa divine child

यथाas, like

दयितःbeloved, dear

चक्रहस्तस्यof the discus-handed one (Kṛṣṇa)

सर्वासुin all

अस्त्रिषुamong/with weapons (weapon-skills)

चand

कोविदःskilled, proficient

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Cakrahasta (Kṛṣṇa as discus-bearer)

Weapons/astravidyā (martial lore)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how noble lineage and divine association are complemented by personal competence: being close to Kṛṣṇa and dear to him is paired with mastery of astravidyā. Ethically, it suggests that honor and trust are grounded not only in birth or favor but also in cultivated skill and proven capability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna is describing a particular warrior’s identity and worth—stressing his kinship to Vāsudeva (as a sister’s son), his special affection with the discus-bearing Kṛṣṇa, and his comprehensive expertise in weaponry—thereby establishing his stature and credibility within the unfolding events of the Virāṭa episode.