Shloka 22

भीष्मदर्शनार्थं प्रस्थानम्

Departure to Behold Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

ते हया वासुदेवस्य दारुकेण प्रचोदिता:

Transliteration

te hayā vāsudevasya dārukeṇa pracoditāḥ

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Those horses of Vāsudeva, urged on by Dāruka, were driven forward—an image of disciplined action guided by a trusted charioteer, where power is made purposeful through right direction.

Word by Word

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हयाः: horses
• हयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वासुदेवस्य: of Vāsudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेवस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दारुकेण: by Dāruka (the charioteer)
• दारुकेण: Karana
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: दारुक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रचोदिताः: urged/impelled
• प्रचोदिताः: Karta
• Type: Participle
• Root: प्र-चुद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Passive, Past (PPP)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Dāruka
• horses

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even great strength (the horses) becomes ethically effective only when properly guided (by Dāruka). The verse subtly highlights disciplined agency—power directed by competent, trusted guidance rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Vāsudeva’s horses are being urged forward by Dāruka, indicating the chariot’s movement and the charioteer’s active control in the unfolding scene.