Shloka 8

Devanagari script

प्रसाद्य भक्त्या राजानं प्रीते चैव युधिष्ठिरे । प्रयावस्त्वरितौ योद्धुं सूतपुत्ररथथं प्रति,“राजा युधिष्ठिरको भक्तिभावसे प्रसन्न कर लो। जब वे प्रसन्न हो जायँ, तब हमलोग तुरंत ही युद्धके लिये सूतपुत्रके रथपर चढ़ाई करेंगे

Transliteration

prasādya bhaktyā rājānaṁ prīte caiva yudhiṣṭhire | prayāvastvaritau yoddhuṁ sūtaputrarathasthaṁ prati ||

Translation

Sanjaya berkata: “Perkenankanlah raja itu dengan bakti yang penuh hormat; dan apabila Yudhiṣṭhira telah berkenan, kita akan berangkat serta-merta—dengan segera—untuk berperang, maju menghadapi kereta perang putera Sūta.”

Word by Word

प्रसाद्यhaving pleased

भक्त्याby devotion

राजानम्the king

प्रीतेwhen (he is) pleased

चand

एवindeed/just

युधिष्ठिरेin/when Yudhishthira (is pleased)

प्रयावःwe shall go forth

त्वरितौthe two, hastened

योद्धुम्to fight

सूतपुत्ररथम्the chariot of the suta’s son (Karna)

प्रतिtowards/against

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Yudhiṣṭhira

Karṇa (Sūtaputra)

ratha (chariot)

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 a pragmatic ethic of leadership and action: before undertaking a grave act like battle, one should first secure the rightful leader’s consent through respectful devotion and persuasion, so that action proceeds with unity, legitimacy, and clear resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a plan: first, Yudhiṣṭhira must be respectfully appeased and brought to a pleased state; then, without delay, they will move to engage Karṇa—identified as the ‘Sūta’s son’—on his chariot in battle.