Shloka 7

Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

कृपस्य रथमास्थाय वैराटिरकुतो भय: । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य तस्थौ तस्याग्रतो बली

Transliteration

kṛpasya ratham āsthāya vairāṭir akuto bhayaḥ | pradakṣiṇam upāvṛtya tasthau tasyāgrato balī ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Vị hoàng tử của Virāṭa—không hề khiếp sợ bốn bề—đã lên chiến xa của Kṛpa, cho xe chuyển theo vòng bên phải như một cuộc nhiễu lễ (pradakṣiṇā), rồi người dũng mãnh ấy dừng lại ngay trước mặt ông. Hành động ấy vừa là sự tự tin về chiến thuật, vừa là cử chỉ kính lễ theo nghi thức, dù căng thẳng của trận chiến đã kề cận.

Word by Word

• कृपस्य: of Kripa
• कृपस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having mounted/ascended
• आस्थाय: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• वैराटिः: the son of Virata (Uttara)
• वैराटिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैराटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अकुतोभयः: one who has no fear from any side; fearless
• अकुतोभयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकुतोभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रदक्षिणम्: clockwise; in circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Kriya-vishesana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: true

• उपावृत्य: having gone around/returned around (circumambulating)
• उपावृत्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• तस्थौ: stood
• तस्थौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तस्य: of him; his
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अग्रतः: in front (of)
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: true

• बली: mighty; strong
• बली: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Vairāṭi (Uttara, prince of Virāṭa)
• chariot (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a martial setting, kṣatriya behavior can combine fearlessness with disciplined protocol: confidence (akuto-bhaya) is shown alongside a formal gesture of respect (pradakṣiṇā), indicating that power is ideally tempered by restraint and propriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttara, the prince of Virāṭa, mounts Kṛpa’s chariot, wheels it in a rightward circumambulation, and then stops directly in front of Kṛpa—positioning himself boldly while also performing a conventional sign of honor.