Shloka 8

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच परिहासेप्सया वाकक्‍्यं विराटस्य निशम्य तत्‌ | स्मयमानोडर्जुनो राजन्निदं वचनमत्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | parihāsepsayā vākyam virāṭasya niśamya tat | smayamāno 'rjuno rājan idaṁ vacanam abravīt ||

Translation

વૈશમ્પાયન બોલ્યા—હે રાજન! વિરાટનું તે વચન જાણે પરिहासની ઇચ્છાથી કહેવાયું હોય એમ સાંભળી, અર્જુન સ્મિત સાથે આ વચન બોલ્યો।

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• परिहास-ईप्सया: with the desire to jest / for joking
• परिहास-ईप्सया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिहास-ईप्सा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech; statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विराटस्य: of Virata
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• निशम्य: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-शम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्मयमानः: smiling
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मि
• Form: शानच् (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदं
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वचनम्: words; statement
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• अवीत्: said; spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Virāṭa
• Arjuna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical restraint in communication: when confronted with words that seem teasing or belittling, a composed person responds without agitation—signaled here by Arjuna’s smile before speaking.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates to King Janamejaya that Arjuna hears Virāṭa’s remark, interprets it as playful/jesting, and then begins his reply, smiling.