Shloka 10

अर्जुनस्य रथाश्वमोचनं कृष्णस्याश्वसेवा च

Arjuna’s Horses Freed; Krishna’s Equine Service

Devanagari script

वधो नूनं॑ प्रतिज्ञातो मम गाण्डीवधन्चना । तथा हि हृष्टा: क्रोशन्ति शोककाले सम पाण्डवा:,“निश्चय ही गाण्डीवधारी अर्जुनने मेरे वधकी प्रतिज्ञा कर ली है, तभी शोकके समय भी पाण्डव योद्धा बड़े हर्षके साथ गर्जना करते हैं

Transliteration

vadho nūnaṁ pratijñāto mama gāṇḍīvadhanvanā | tathā hi hṛṣṭāḥ krośanti śokakāle ’pi pāṇḍavāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Assurément, ma mort a été vouée par Arjuna, le porteur de l’arc Gāṇḍīva. Voilà pourquoi, même en un temps de deuil, les Pāṇḍavas crient et rugissent d’allégresse, certains que la résolution jurée d’Arjuna s’accomplira.»

Word by Word

वधःkilling, death (slaying)

नूनम्surely, indeed

प्रतिज्ञातःpromised, vowed

ममof me, my

गाण्डीवधन्वनाby the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva bow (Arjuna)

तथाthus, in that way

हिfor, indeed

हृष्टाःdelighted, exhilarated

क्रोशन्तिthey cry out, shout

शोककालेat the time of grief

समम्equally, together

पाण्डवाःthe Pāṇḍavas

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna (Gāṇḍīvadhanvan)

Gāṇḍīva (bow)

Pāṇḍavas

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?

The verse highlights the moral force of a kṣatriya’s pratijñā (solemn vow): once a righteous warrior publicly commits to an act in war, that resolve becomes a source of confidence and morale for allies, even amid sorrow—showing how determination and accountability shape collective courage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna, identified by his Gāṇḍīva bow, has vowed to kill the speaker (“me”). Because of this pledge, the Pāṇḍava side—despite being in a moment of grief—shouts triumphantly, trusting Arjuna’s vow will be carried out.