Shloka 6

Nārada’s Account of the Kaliṅga Svayaṃvara: Duryodhana’s Seizure and Karṇa’s Escort

Devanagari script

शिशुपालो जरासंधो भीष्मको वक्र एव च | कपोतरोमा नीलश्न रुक्मी च दृढविक्रम:,शिशुपाल, जरासंध, भीष्मक, वक्र, कपोतरोमा, नील, सुदृढ़ पराक्रमी रुक्‍्मी, स्त्रीराज्यके स्वामी महाराज शुगाल, अशोक, शतधन्वा, भोज और वीर

Transliteration

śiśupālo jarāsandho bhīṣmako vakra eva ca | kapotaromā nīlaś ca rukmī ca dṛḍhavikramaḥ ||

Translation

“ศิศุปาล ชราสันธะ ภีษมกะ และวักระ; กโปตรโรมะ นีละ และรุกมีผู้ทรงเดชมั่นคง”—เหล่านี้คือกษัตริย์สำคัญบางองค์ที่ถูกเอ่ยนาม

Word by Word

शिशुपालःShishupala

जरासन्धःJarasandha

भीष्मकःBhishmaka

वक्रःVakra (a king/person named Vakra)

एवindeed/also

चand

कपोतरोमाKapotaroman (one whose hair is like a pigeon’s)

नीलःNila (a person named Nila)

रुक्मीRukmi

चand

दृढविक्रमःfirm/steadfast in valor; of strong prowess

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Śiśupāla

Jarāsandha

Bhīṣmaka

Vakra

Kapotaromā

Nīla

Rukmī

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

By enumerating renowned and formidable kings, the passage underscores that worldly power is abundant and contested; therefore one must rely on dharma—ethical judgment and right policy—rather than mere strength when assessing allies, enemies, and rightful action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is listing prominent rulers/warriors—Śiśupāla, Jarāsandha, Bhīṣmaka, Vakra, Kapotaromā, Nīla, and the steadfastly valiant Rukmī—within a broader discussion where such names serve to situate the political-moral landscape.