Shloka 9

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच राजा विराटो5थ भृशाभितप्त: श्रुत्वा सुतं त्वेकरथेन यातम्‌ । बृहन्नलासारथिमाजिवर्धनं प्रोवाच सर्वानथ मन्त्रिमुख्यान्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca rājā virāṭo 'tha bhṛśābhitaptaḥ śrutvā sutaṃ tv ekaratheṇa yātam | bṛhannalāsārathim ājivardhanaṃ provāca sarvān atha mantrimukhyān ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: O rei Virāṭa, profundamente aflito ao ouvir que seu filho partira com apenas um carro, dirigiu-se então a todos os seus principais ministros. Falou de Ājivardhana (isto é, Uttara), que saíra tendo Bṛhannalā como seu cocheiro.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

राजाthe king

विराटःVirāṭa

अथthen

भृशाभितप्तःgreatly distressed/tormented

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

सुतम्son

तुbut/indeed

एकरथेनwith a single chariot

यातम्gone/advanced

बृहन्नलासारथिम्one whose charioteer was Bṛhannalā

अजिवर्धनम्Ajivardhana (name/epithet of the prince)

प्रोवाचaddressed/said

सर्वान्all

अथthen

मन्त्रिमुख्यान्the chief ministers

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Virāṭa

Virāṭa's son (Ājivardhana/Uttara)

Bṛhannalā

chief ministers

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 underscores rajadharma: when a potential crisis arises—especially due to youthful impulsiveness—a king must not act alone or in panic, but consult capable ministers and take prompt, responsible measures to protect both the heir and the realm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Virāṭa hears that his son has gone out with only one chariot, with Bṛhannalā as charioteer. Alarmed, the king turns to his chief ministers to address the situation, setting up the ensuing response to the looming confrontation.