Shloka 6

अर्जुन-कर्ण-सङ्ग्रामः

Arjuna–Karna Engagement in the Cattle-Raid Aftermath

Devanagari script

एकश्न्‌ पञ्च वर्षाणि ब्रह्म॒चर्यमधारयत्‌ । एक: सुभद्रामारोप्य द्वैरथे कृष्णमाह्दयत्‌

Transliteration

ekaśan pañca varṣāṇi brahmacaryam adhārayat | ekaḥ subhadrām āropya dvairathe kṛṣṇam āhvayat ||

Translation

Dijo Kripa: «Viviendo con una sola comida al día, sostuvo el voto de brahmacarya durante cinco años con severa disciplina. Y también él solo, subió a Subhadrā a su carro y se la llevó, llegando incluso a desafiar al propio Śrī Kṛṣṇa a un duelo».

Word by Word

• एकश्न्: eating once (a day)
• एकश्न्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकश्न् (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण (अव्ययवत्), कर्मणि/कालपरिमाणे

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: celibacy (brahmacarya)
• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अधारयत्: he maintained/observed
• अधारयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एकः: alone; one (person)
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुभद्राम्: Subhadrā
• सुभद्राम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभद्रा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आरोप्य: having mounted/placed (her) up
• आरोप्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह्
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्यय), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• द्वैरथे: in a chariot-duel (single combat in chariots)
• द्वैरथे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वैरथ
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आह्वयत्: he challenged/called out
• आह्वयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ह्वे
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

कृप उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kṛpa
• Subhadrā
• Kṛṣṇa
• chariot
• dvairatha (chariot duel)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse juxtaposes inner discipline (austerity and brahmacarya) with outward aggression (abduction and challenging Kṛṣṇa), prompting reflection on how virtues like self-control and courage can be ethically undermined when driven by pride or coercive action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛpa is describing a person’s remarkable feats: maintaining strict brahmacarya while living on one meal daily for five years, then single-handedly placing Subhadrā on a chariot and carrying her off, and even issuing a direct challenge to Kṛṣṇa for a chariot-duel.