Shloka 6

Bhagadatta’s Astra and the Fall of the Prāgjyotiṣa King (भगदत्त-वधः / वैष्णवास्त्र-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्तु दाशार्ह: स्यन्दनं प्रत्यवर्तयत्‌ । येन त्रिगर्ताधिपति: पाण्डवं समुपाह्दयत्‌,अर्जुनके ऐसा कहनेपर भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णने अपने रथको उसी ओर लौटाया, जिस ओससे त्रिगर्तराज सुशर्मा उन पाण्डुकुमारको युद्धके लिये ललकार रहा था

Transliteration

evam uktas tu dāśārhaḥ syandanaṃ pratyavartayat | yena trigartādhipatiḥ pāṇḍavaṃ samupāhvayat ||

Translation

Mendengar demikian, Dāśārha (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) memutar kembali kereta ke arah tempat raja Trigarta, Suśarmā, menantang Pāṇḍava untuk bertempur.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

उक्तःspoken to / addressed

तुbut/indeed

दाशार्हःthe Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa)

स्यन्दनम्chariot

प्रत्यवर्तयत्turned back / caused to turn back

येनwhereby / in the direction where

त्रिगर्ताधिपतिःthe lord of the Trigartas (Suśarmā)

पाण्डवम्the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)

समुपाह्वयत्challenged / called out to

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dāśārha (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

Syandana (chariot)

Trigartas

Trigartādhipati (Suśarmā)

Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)

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 kṣatriya-dharma in practice: a direct martial challenge is met without hesitation, yet with composure. Kṛṣṇa’s role models disciplined action—responding appropriately to duty and circumstance rather than acting from anger or pride.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being spoken to, Kṛṣṇa (as Arjuna’s charioteer) turns the chariot back toward the side from which Suśarmā, king of the Trigartas, is calling out and challenging the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) to fight.