Shloka 11

Kṛṣṇa-vīrya-kathana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s appraisal of Vāsudeva’s deeds

Devanagari script

चक्षुर्हणं जये सक्तमिष्वासधरमच्युतम्‌ । दान्तं बहुमतं लोके के शूरा: पर्यवारयन्‌

Transliteration

cakṣurhaṇaṃ jaye saktamiṣvāsadharamacyutam | dāntaṃ bahumataṃ loke ke śūrāḥ paryavārayan

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Quels étaient les héros qui entourèrent Acyuta—archer tendu vers la victoire, discipliné et maître de lui, estimé du monde—comme pour le contenir ?»

Word by Word

चक्षुःeye

हणम्slayer/striker (as read)

जयेin victory / in conquest

सक्तम्attached, intent

इष्वासधरम्bow-bearer (one who holds a bow)

अच्युतम्Acyuta (Krishna)

दान्तम्self-controlled, subdued

बहुमतम्much-esteemed, highly regarded

लोकेin the world

केwhich? who?

शूराःheroes, warriors

पर्यवारयन्surrounded, hemmed in

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Acyuta (Kṛṣṇa)

bow (iṣvāsa)

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 highlights the ethical ideal of disciplined power: even amid war and the pursuit of victory, the truly exemplary figure is described as dānta (self-controlled) and bahumata (esteemed). Martial capability is framed as most admirable when governed by restraint and recognized by society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana poses a pointed question about the battlefield situation: which warriors managed to surround Acyuta (Kṛṣṇa), portrayed as a formidable, victory-focused bowman. The question sets up identification of the opposing heroes and emphasizes the intensity of the encounter.