Shloka 16

Devanagari script

स जानंश्वरितं कृत्स्नं वृष्णीनां पृतनामुखे । अपयानं पुन: सौते मैवं कार्षी: कथंचन,'सूतनन्दन! युद्धके मुहानेपर डटे हुए वृष्णिकुलके वीरोंका सम्पूर्ण चरित्र तुझसे अज्ञात नहीं है; अतः तू फिर कभी किसी तरह भी युद्धसे न लौटना

Transliteration

sa jānann āśvaritaṁ kṛtsnaṁ vṛṣṇīnāṁ pṛtanāmukhe | apayānaṁ punaḥ saute maivaṁ kārṣīḥ kathaṁcana ||

Translation

हे सूतनन्दन! रणमुख पर डटे हुए वृष्णिवीरों का समस्त शौर्य और आचरण तुझसे अज्ञात नहीं है। इसलिए, हे सूत, फिर कभी किसी भी प्रकार युद्ध से लौटकर पीछे न हटना—ऐसा मत करना।

Word by Word

सःhe

जानन्knowing

ईश्वरितम्lordship; prowess/heroic might

कृत्स्नम्entire, whole

वृष्णीनाम्of the Vrishnis

पृतना-मुखेat the front of the army; in the battle-front

अपयानम्retreat, withdrawal

पुनःagain

सौतेO charioteer / O son of a suta

माdo not

एवम्thus, in this way

कार्षीःyou should do / you did (aorist); here: do (not) do

कथंचनin any way; at all

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वायुदेव (Vāyu)

स

सूतनन्दन / सौते (Sūta-nandana, charioteer’s son)

व

वृष्णि (Vṛṣṇis)

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 urges steadfastness in righteous combat: knowing the valor and duty of the Vṛṣṇi heroes at the battlefront, one should not succumb to fear or retreat, but uphold honor and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu addresses a charioteer’s son, reminding him that he already knows the full martial character of the Vṛṣṇis in the thick of battle, and commands him not to withdraw again from the battlefield.