Shloka 26

Akṛtavraṇa’s Account Begins: Gādhi–Satyavatī–Ṛcīka and the Bhārgava Lineage Prelude

Devanagari script

अकृतव्रण उवाच स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय राजन्‌ वरुणमब्रवीत्‌ । एकत: श्यामकर्णानां पाण्डुराणां तरस्विनाम्‌

Transliteration

Akṛtavraṇa uvāca: sa tatheti pratijñāya rājan Varuṇam abravīt | ekataḥ śyāmakarṇānāṃ pāṇḍurāṇāṃ tarasvinām

Translation

Akṛtavraṇa said: “So be it.” Having thus pledged, he addressed King Varuṇa: “On one side, there are the swift and powerful ones—some with dark ears, others pale….”

Word by Word

अकृतव्रणःAkṛtavraṇa (proper name)

उवाचsaid

सःhe

तथाthus; so

इतिthus (quotative)

प्रतिज्ञायhaving promised

राजन्O king

वरुणम्Varuṇa

अब्रवीत्said; spoke to

एकतःon one side; in one direction

श्यामकर्णानाम्of the black-eared (ones)

पाण्डुराणाम्of the pale/whitish (ones)

तरस्विनाम्of the swift/strong (ones)

Speaker

अकृतव्रण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Akṛtavraṇa

Varuṇa

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 foregrounds the ethical weight of a spoken pledge (pratijñā): once assent is given, the speaker proceeds to address authority (Varuṇa) and act in accordance with the commitment, highlighting accountability in speech and promise-keeping.

What is happening in the narrative?

Akṛtavraṇa agrees (“so be it”), makes a formal promise, and then speaks to King Varuṇa, beginning a description that contrasts groups characterized by features such as dark ears and pale color and by strength/swiftness.