Shloka 14

Devanagari script

केतुवर्मा तु तेजस्वी तस्यैवावरजो युवा । युयुधे भ्रातुरर्थाय पाण्डवेन यशस्विना,(सूर्यवर्माके परास्त होनेपर) उसका छोटा भाई केतुवर्मा जो एक तेजस्वी नवयुवक था, अपने भाईका बदला लेनेके लिये यशस्वी वीर पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुनके साथ युद्ध करने लगा

Transliteration

ketuvarmā tu tejasvī tasyaivāvarajo yuvā | yuyudhe bhrātur arthāya pāṇḍavena yaśasvinā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Ketuvarmā, a radiant young warrior and the younger brother of that very man, engaged in battle with the illustrious Pāṇḍava (Arjuna), fighting to uphold his brother’s cause—seeking retribution after his brother’s defeat.

Word by Word

केतुवर्माKetuvarman (proper name)

तुbut/indeed

तेजस्वीsplendid, radiant

तस्यof him/of that (person)

एवindeed, just

अवरजःyounger brother

युवाyoung (man)

युयुधेfought

भ्रातुःof (his) brother

अर्थायfor the sake (of), for (a purpose)

पाण्डवेनwith/by the Pandava (Arjuna)

यशस्विनाwith/by the renowned (one)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)

क

केतुवर्मा (Ketuvarmā)

प

पाण्डव (Pāṇḍava—Arjuna)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a common kṣatriya ethic: loyalty to kin and the pursuit of honor through combat. It also implicitly raises the dharmic tension between personal vengeance (bhrātur arthāya) and the wider moral order, showing how battlefield duties often intertwine with familial obligation.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the defeat of his brother (as indicated by the contextual note), Ketuvarmā—his younger brother—steps forward and begins fighting the renowned Pāṇḍava hero Arjuna, motivated by the desire to act for his brother’s cause and to retaliate.