Shloka 7

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच पुरा कृतयुगे तात राजा ह्यासीदकम्पन: । स शत्रुवशमापन्न: संग्रामे क्षीणवाहन:,भीष्मजीने कहा--तात! प्राचीन सत्ययुगकी बात है, अकम्पन नामके एक राजा थे। एक समय संग्राममें उनका रथ नष्ट हो गया और वे शत्रुके वशमें पड़ गये

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca purā kṛtayuge tāta rājā hy āsīd akampanaḥ | sa śatruvaśam āpannaḥ saṅgrāme kṣīṇavāhanaḥ ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—اے عزیز! قدیم کِرت یُگ میں اکمپَن نام کا ایک بادشاہ تھا۔ ایک بار جنگ میں اس کا رتھ اور سواریاں تباہ ہو گئیں؛ وہ کمزور پڑ کر دشمن کے قبضے میں آ گیا۔

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid/spoke

पुराformerly, long ago

कृतयुगेin the Krita-yuga

तातO dear one/son

राजाa king

हिindeed, for

आसीत्was

अकम्पनःAkampana (name of a king)

सःhe

शत्रुवशम्into the enemy's power/control

आपन्नःhaving fallen into / having come to

संग्रामेin battle

क्षीणवाहनःwhose vehicle/chariot was destroyed/disabled

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Akampana

Kṛta Yuga

enemy (śatru)

chariot/vehicle (vāhana)

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?

The verse sets up an ethical exemplum: even a king in the age of righteousness can face sudden reversal in war. It prepares the listener to reflect on steadiness, prudence, and dharmic conduct when power and protection collapse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins an old account from the Kṛta Yuga about King Akampana. During a battle his chariot/means of conveyance is destroyed, leaving him weakened and he is captured or brought under the enemy’s control.