Shloka 22

नारायणममित्रघ्नं कामाज्जातमजं नृषु । सर्वक्षत्रस्थ पुरतो देवदानवयोरपि,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! श्रीकृष्णके ऐसा कहनेपर कुन्तीकुमार धनंजयने संग्रामभूमिमें युद्ध न करनेवाले उन भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णको ही (अपना सहायक) चुना, जो साक्षात्‌ शत्रुहन्ता नारायण हैं और अजन्मा होते हुए भी स्वेच्छासे देवता, दानव तथा समस्त क्षत्रियोंके सम्मुख मनुष्योंमें अवतीर्ण हुए हैं

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

nārāyaṇam amitraghnaṁ kāmāj jātaṁ ajaṁ nṛṣu |

sarvakṣatrastha purato devadānavayor api ||

قال فايشامبايانا: أيها الملك، بعد أن قال كريشنا ذلك، اختار دهننجايا ابن كونتي سندًا له ذلك الرب كريشنا نفسه—نارايانا، قاهر الأعداء—الذي، وإن كان غير مولود، فقد ظهر بين البشر بمحض إرادته، على مرأى من الآلهة والشياطين وجميع الكشاتريا.

नारायणम्Narayana (Vishnu/Krishna)
नारायणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनारायण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अमित्रघ्नम्slayer of enemies
अमित्रघ्नम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअमित्रघ्न
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
कामात्from (his own) will/desire
कामात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootकाम
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
जातम्born/manifested
जातम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootजात
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त) of √जन् (जायते)
अजम्unborn
अजम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
नृषुamong men
नृषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootनृ
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
सर्वक्षत्रस्थेin/among all the Kshatriyas present
सर्वक्षत्रस्थे:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्वक्षत्रस्थ
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
पुरतःin front; before
पुरतः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरतः
देवदानवयोःof gods and demons
देवदानवयोः:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootदेवदानव
FormMasculine, Genitive, Dual
अपिalso/even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
J
Janamejaya (King)
Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa
N
Nārāyaṇa
A
Arjuna (Dhanañjaya, son of Kuntī)
D
Devas
D
Dānavas
K
Kṣatriyas

Educational Q&A

The verse frames Kṛṣṇa as Nārāyaṇa—unborn yet freely manifesting among humans—highlighting that divine participation in worldly conflict can be voluntary and purposeful. Ethically, it underscores Arjuna’s choice of guidance and presence over mere military force, valuing dharmic counsel and divine alignment in a crisis.

In the lead-up to war, after Kṛṣṇa’s statement (about the options available), Arjuna (Dhanañjaya) chooses Kṛṣṇa himself as his support rather than the fighting army. The narrator emphasizes Kṛṣṇa’s supreme identity as Nārāyaṇa, witnessed by gods, demons, and the assembled warrior class.