Shloka 176

Devanagari script

युक्त रथवरं तस्मा आचचक्षे नरर्षभः । वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! युधिष्ठिरकी आज्ञा शिरोधार्य करके कुन्तीकुमार नरश्रेष्ठ अर्जुनने वैसा ही किया। फिर आकर उन्हें सूचना दी कि महाराजका श्रेष्ठ रथ तैयार है

Transliteration

yuktaṃ rathavaraṃ tasmā ācacakṣe nararṣabhaḥ | vaiśampāyana uvāca—janamejaya! yudhiṣṭhirasyājñāṃ śirodhārya kuntīkumaras narāśreṣṭho 'rjunas tathaiva cakāra | punar āgatya tebhyaḥ sūcayām āsa—mahārājasya śreṣṭho ratho 'bhisaṃnaddha iti |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O Janamejaya, Arjuna—the foremost among men and son of Kuntī—received Yudhiṣṭhira’s command with reverence and carried it out exactly. Returning afterward, he informed them that the king’s finest chariot had been made ready.”

Word by Word

• युक्तम्: yoked, harnessed, prepared
• युक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (युज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रथवरम्: the excellent chariot
• रथवरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• आचचक्षे: reported, informed
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चक्ष्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• नरर्षभः: the bull among men (best of men)
• नरर्षभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kuntī
• Arjuna
• ratha (chariot)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined service and respect for rightful authority: Arjuna treats Yudhiṣṭhira’s instruction as something to be borne on the head (śirodhārya), showing that dharma includes prompt, reverent execution of duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna, following Yudhiṣṭhira’s order, ensures that the king’s best chariot is properly harnessed and prepared, then returns to report that it is ready.