Shloka 17

रथेन तेन वै कृष्ण उपारुह्मु ययौ तदा,वह रथ तपाये हुए सुवर्णके समान कान्तिमान्‌ था। उसमें क्षुद्र घण्टिकाओंसे युक्त झालरें लगी थीं। उसकी घर्घराहट मेघकी गम्भीर गर्जनाके समान जान पड़ती थी। वह शत्रुओंका विघातक और विजय प्रदान करनेवाला था। उसी रथपर सवार हो उसके द्वारा श्रीकृष्णने उस समय यात्रा की

rathena tena vai kṛṣṇa upāruhya yayau tadā |

Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Entonces Kṛṣṇa montó en aquel carro y se puso en marcha. El carro resplandecía como oro al rojo vivo, adornado con flecos provistos de pequeñas campanillas; su rodar retumbaba como el hondo bramido de las nubes. Era célebre como destructor de enemigos y dador de victoria. Sentado en él, Kṛṣṇa prosiguió su viaje en aquel momento: imagen de acción deliberada, sostenida por poder regio y prestancia marcial.

रथेनby/with the chariot
रथेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
तेनby/with that
तेन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
कृष्णःKrishna
कृष्णः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकृष्ण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उपारुह्यhaving mounted
उपारुह्य:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-आ-रुह्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage as gerund)
ययौwent
ययौ:
TypeVerb
Rootया
FormPerfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
तदाthen/at that time
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
K
Kṛṣṇa
R
ratha (chariot)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores purposeful action supported by appropriate means: royal authority and martial preparedness are portrayed as instruments that, when rightly employed, enable decisive movement toward one’s objective. The imagery of splendour and power also hints at responsibility—such force is meant to secure order and victory, not mere display.

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Kṛṣṇa mounts a renowned, brilliantly shining chariot—described with bells and a thunder-like rumble—and then departs. The focus is on the chariot’s formidable, victory-bringing character and Kṛṣṇa’s setting out upon it.