Shloka 25

Pradyumna–Śālva Missile-Exchange at Saubha (Āraṇyaka Parva, Adhyāya 18)

Devanagari script

कृतवर्मा मया वीरो निर्यास्यन्नेव वारित: । शाल्व॑ निवारयिष्ये5हं तिष्ठ त्वमिति सूतज,'सूतपुत्र! वीर कृतवर्मा शाल्वका सामना करनेके लिये पुरीसे बाहर आ रहे थे; किंतु मैंने उन्हें रोक दिया और कहा--“आप यहीं रहिये। मैं शाल्वको परास्त करूँगा”

Transliteration

kṛtavarmā mayā vīro niryāsyann eva vāritaḥ | śālvaṁ nivārayiṣye'haṁ tiṣṭha tvam iti sūtaja ||

Translation

Vāyu said: “The hero Kṛtavarmā, just as he was about to ride out, was restrained by me. ‘I shall check Śālva myself; you stay here,’ I told him, O son of a charioteer.”

Word by Word

कृतवर्माKṛtavarmā

मयाby me

वीरःthe hero

निर्यास्यन्going out / about to go out

एवindeed / just

वारितःwas restrained / stopped

शाल्वम्Śālva

निवारयिष्येI shall restrain / repel

अहम्I

तिष्ठstay / stand

त्वम्you

इतिthus (quotative)

सूतजO son of a charioteer

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyu (Vāyudeva)

Kṛtavarmā

Śālva

sūtaja (charioteer’s son, addressee)

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?

Courage is not only charging into battle; it also includes disciplined restraint and taking responsibility. Vāyu’s act of stopping Kṛtavarmā models protective leadership—choosing to bear the risk oneself to prevent unnecessary harm to an ally.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Kṛtavarmā prepares to go out to face Śālva, Vāyu intervenes and restrains him, declaring that he himself will repel Śālva and instructing Kṛtavarmā to remain where he is.