Shloka 13

Droṇa’s Conditional Boon: The Plan to Capture Yudhiṣṭhira (द्रोणेन युधिष्ठिरग्रहणोपायः)

Devanagari script

चेदिराजं च विक्रान्तं राजसेनापतिं बली । अर्घ्ये विवदमानं च जघान पशुवत्‌ तदा,बलवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णने राजाओंकी सेनाके अधिपति पराक्रमी चेदिराज शिशुपालको अग्रपूजनके समय विवाद करनेके कारण पशुकी भाँति मार डाला

Transliteration

cedirājaṃ ca vikrāntaṃ rājasenāpatiṃ balī | arghye vivadamānaṃ ca jaghāna paśuvat tadā ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: عندئذٍ ضرب شري كريشنا القوي ملكَ تشيدي الشجاع—شيشوبالا، قائدَ جموع الملوك—لأنه أثار الخصام أثناء طقس تقديم الأَرغْيَا (شرف العبادة الأولى)، فقتله كما يُقتل الوحش.

Word by Word

चेदिराजम्the king of Cedi (Shiśupāla)

चand

विक्रान्तम्valiant, bold

राजसेनापतिम्commander of the royal army

बलीmighty (one)

अर्घ्येat the arghya-offering / during the honor-offering

विवदमानम्disputing, arguing

चand

जघानkilled, slew

पशुवत्like an animal

तदाthen, at that time

बलवान्powerful

श्रीकृष्णःŚrī Kṛṣṇa

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Śiśupāla

Cedi (kingdom)

arghya (ceremonial offering/first honor)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical gravity of disrupting sacred or lawful honor in a public assembly: arrogance and contentious speech (vivāda) during a rite meant to uphold respect can lead to harsh consequences, underscoring the duty to protect rightful honor and order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana recalls the earlier incident where Śrī Kṛṣṇa killed Śiśupāla, the king of Cedi, because he quarreled during the arghya (first honor) ceremony—an act portrayed as a grave breach of decorum and dharma.