Mahabharata (Gita Press) 3.21.14 - Vana Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 14

Dvārakā’s Distress and the Saubha Engagement (द्वारकाव्यग्रता तथा सौभयुद्धम्)

Devanagari script

तदलं साधु युद्धेन निवर्तस्व जनार्दन | द्वारकामेव रक्षस्व कार्यमेतन्महत्‌ तव,“जनार्दन! अब युद्ध करके क्या लेना है? लौट आओ। द्वारकाकी ही रक्षा करो। तुम्हारे लिये यही सबसे महान्‌ कार्य है”

Transliteration

tad alaṃ sādhu yuddhena nivartasva janārdana | dvārakām eva rakṣasva kāryam etan mahat tava ||

Translation

قال فايُو: «حسبُك يا جاناردانا—ماذا يُجنى من القتال الآن؟ ارجع. احمِ دُوَارَكَا وحدها؛ فهذا أعظمُ واجبٍ لك في هذه الساعة».

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Word by Word

• तत्: that (thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अलम्: enough; stop; no need
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम्

• साधु: well; good; rightly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु

• युद्धेन: by/with war; by fighting
• युद्धेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• निवर्तस्व: turn back; desist; return
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वृत्
• Form: Lot (imperative), Atmanepada, Second, Singular

• जनार्दन: O Janardana (Krishna)
• Type: Noun (proper epithet)
• Root: जनार्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• द्वारकाम्: Dvaraka
• द्वारकाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (proper place-name)
• Root: द्वारका
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed; just; only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• रक्षस्व: protect; guard
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Lot (imperative), Atmanepada, Second, Singular

• कार्यम्: duty; task; what is to be done
• कार्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• महत्: great; important
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तव: of you; for you
• तव: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)
• जनार्दन (Janārdana/Kṛṣṇa)
• द्वारका (Dvārakā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches contextual dharma: even for a warrior, fighting is not always the highest good. When a greater responsibility—protecting one’s people and homeland—demands attention, restraint and return can be the more righteous course.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa), urging him to stop pursuing battle and instead return to safeguard Dvārakā, presenting the protection of the city as Kṛṣṇa’s paramount task at that moment.