Shloka 7

वज्रदत्तेन सह अर्जुनयुद्धम्

Arjuna’s engagement with Vajradatta during the Aśvamedha circuit

Devanagari script

पाण्डुरेणातपत्रेण प्रियमाणेन मूर्थनि । दोधूयता चामरेण श्वेतेन च महारथ:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

pāṇḍureṇātapatreṇa priyamāṇena mūrdhani |

dodhūyatā cāmareṇa śvetena ca mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：那位大车战士头上擎着淡白的王伞，又有人挥动白色牦牛尾拂尘以示尊荣。如此侍从如王者般，他走近帕尔塔（阿周那）；然而因孩童般的轻率与愚昧，那君主竟向般度之雄发出战斗的挑战。

Word by Word

• पाण्डुरेण: with a pale/whitish
• पाण्डुरेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाण्डुर
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• आतपत्रेण: umbrella/parasol
• आतपत्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आतपत्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रियमाणेन: being held/used (lit. being made pleasing/being attended to)
• प्रियमाणेन: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular, Present passive participle (शानच्), agreeing with आतपत्रेण

• मूर्धनि: on the head
• मूर्धनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• दोधूयता: waving/shaking
• दोधूयता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: धू
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular, Present active participle (शतृ), agreeing with (सेवकेन/परिचारकेन) implied

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• चामरेण: with a yak-tail fan (chowrie)
• चामरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चामर
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• श्वेतेन: white
• श्वेतेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महारथः: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Pāṇḍava (collective reference)
• ātapatra (royal parasol)
• cāmara (yak-tail fan)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

External marks of kingship—parasol, attendants, ceremonial honor—do not guarantee inner wisdom. When pride and childish impulsiveness govern a ruler, he may rush toward unjust conflict, revealing a gap between appearance and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

A celebrated warrior-king, attended with a white parasol and a white cāmara fan, approaches Pārtha (Arjuna). Despite the royal display, he behaves rashly and challenges the Pāṇḍava hero to fight.