Shloka 20

Sātyaki’s Call for Intervention and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Vow-Bound Restraint (सात्यकिवाक्यं—धर्मराजस्य धैर्यनिश्चयः)

Devanagari script

सवृष्णि भोजान्धकयो धमुख्या समागता सात्वतशूरसेना । हत्वा रणे तान्‌ धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रा- ल्‍लोके यश: स्फीतमुपाकरोतु,यदुवंशियोंकी शौर्यपूर्ण सेना, जिसमें वृष्णि, भोज और अन्धकवंशी योद्धाओंकी प्रधानता है, आक्रमण करके युद्धमें धृतराष्ट्रपत्रोंको मार डाले और संसारमें अपने उज्ज्वल यशका विस्तार करे

Transliteration

sa-vṛṣṇi-bhojāndhakayo dharmamukhyāḥ samāgatāḥ sātvata-śūra-senāḥ | hatvā raṇe tān dhṛtarāṣṭra-putrān loke yaśaḥ sphītam upākarotu ||

Translation

বলৰামে ক’লে—বৃষ্ণি, ভোজ আৰু অন্ধক—যিসকলৰ মাজত প্রধান—সেই যাদৱসকলৰ বীৰ সেনা একত্ৰিত হৈ, ৰণত ধৃতৰাষ্ট্ৰপুত্ৰসকলক নিধন কৰি, জগতত নিজৰ দীপ্ত যশ বিস্তাৰ কৰক।

Word by Word

• {'sa-vṛṣṇi-bhoja-andhakayaḥ': 'together with the Vṛṣṇis, Bhojas, and Andhakas (Yādava clans)', 'dharmamukhyāḥ': 'foremost in dharma

• leaders/principal ones (lit. ‘dharma as chief’)', 'samāgatāḥ': 'assembled

• gathered together', 'sātvata-śūra-senāḥ': 'the Sātvata/Yādava heroic army

• a host of brave warriors', 'hatvā': 'having slain

• after killing', 'raṇe': 'in battle

• in combat', 'tān': 'those (referring to the Kauravas mentioned next)', 'dhṛtarāṣṭra-putrān': 'the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (the Kauravas)', 'loke': 'in the world

• among people', 'yaśaḥ': 'fame

• renown', 'sphītam': 'expanded

• flourishing', 'upākarotu': 'may he/they bring about

Speaker

बलदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Baladeva (Balarāma)
• Vṛṣṇi clan
• Bhoja clan
• Andhaka clan
• Sātvatas (Yādavas)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Kauravas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reflects the kṣatriya-ethic where organized martial strength is invoked to confront perceived adharma, and where victory is linked with the expansion of yaśas (public renown). It also shows how ‘dharma’ is framed in terms of rightful alliance and decisive action in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Balarāma speaks of the Yādava host—especially the Vṛṣṇis, Bhojas, and Andhakas—assembling and defeating the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra in battle, so that their fame becomes widespread.