Shloka 7

शकुनेः पुत्रेण सह आश्वमेधाश्वविषयः संघर्षः — Arjuna’s restrained engagement with Śakuni’s son during the horse-escort

Devanagari script

आयाति भीमसेनासौ सहाश्चेन तवानुज: । यथा मे पुरुषा: प्राहुय्यें धनंजयसारिण:,'भीमसेन! तुम्हारे छोटे भाई अर्जुन घोड़ेके साथ आ रहे हैं, जैसा कि उनका समाचार लानेके लिये गये जासूसोंने मुझे बताया है

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

āyāti bhīmasenāsau saha aśvena tavānujaḥ | yathā me puruṣāḥ prāhuḥ ye dhanañjaya-sāriṇaḥ ||

Translation

Dijo Vaiśampāyana: «Oh Bhīmasena, tu hermano menor viene hacia aquí junto con el caballo del sacrificio, tal como me han informado mis hombres—los enviados a traer noticias de Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)».

Word by Word

आयातिcomes/arrives

भीमसेनःBhimasena

असौthat (he)

सहtogether with

अश्वेनwith the horse

तवyour

अनुजःyounger brother

यथाas/just as

मेto me

पुरुषाःmen

प्राहुःsaid/told

य्येwho (those who)

धनंजय-सारिणःthose who are guides/attendants of Dhananjaya (Arjuna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Arjuna (Dhanañjaya)

Aśvamedha horse

messengers/agents (puruṣāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores responsible governance and ritual order: the Aśvamedha is not merely ceremonial but requires vigilance, reliable reporting, and coordinated action among kin and agents to uphold the king’s dharma and public stability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana informs Bhīma that Arjuna (Dhanañjaya) is approaching with the sacrificial horse, based on intelligence brought by men assigned to track and report Arjuna’s movements during the Aśvamedha campaign.