Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

गदप्रद्युम्नसाम्बाश्व चारुदेष्णश्न वीर्यवान्‌ उल्मुको निशठसश्चैव वीरश्नाज्ञावहस्तथा

Transliteration

gadapradymnasāmbāśva cārudeṣṇaś ca vīryavān | ulmuko niśaṭhaś caiva vīraś cājñāvahas tathā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “(There were) the valiant Gada, Pradyumna, Sāmba, Aśva, and Cārudeṣṇa; also Ulmuka, Niśaṭha, the hero Ājñāvaha, and others.”

Word by Word

गदःGada (a person named Gada)

प्रद्युम्नःPradyumna

साम्बःSāmba

अश्वःAśva (a person named Aśva)

चारुदेष्णःCārudeṣṇa

वीर्यवान्mighty, possessed of valor

उल्मुकःUlmuka

निशठःNiśaṭha

चand

एवindeed, also

वीरःhero, warrior

आज्ञावहःobedient; carrying out commands

तथाthus, likewise

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Gada

Pradyumna

Sāmba

Aśva

Cārudeṣṇa

Ulmuka

Niśaṭha

Ājñāvaha

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 functions as an ethical backdrop: it highlights the presence of many powerful heroes, implying that sheer strength and illustrious kinship are not sufficient safeguards—dharma, self-control, and wise counsel are what prevent power from becoming destructive in political life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is enumerating notable Yādava figures—Gada, Pradyumna, Sāmba, and others—situating them within the broader courtly and political context of the Sabha Parva by emphasizing the formidable human resources of Krishna’s clan.