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Shloka 41

Vyāsa’s Vision, the Power of Bhāgavatam, and the Arrest of Aśvatthāmā

अथोपेत्य स्वशिबिरं गोविन्दप्रियसारथि: । न्यवेदयत्तं प्रियायै शोचन्त्या आत्मजान् हतान् ॥ ४१ ॥

athopetya sva-śibiraṁ govinda-priya-sārathiḥ nyavedayat taṁ priyāyai śocantyā ātma-jān hatān

Nachdem er sein eigenes Lager erreicht hatte, übergab Arjuna zusammen mit seinem lieben Freund und Wagenlenker [Śrī Kṛṣṇa] den Mörder seiner lieben Frau, die um ihre ermordeten Söhne wehklagte.

athathen
atha:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatha (अथ अव्यय)
FormDiscourse particle (अनन्तर/आरम्भसूचक अव्यय)
upetyahaving gone/approached
upetya:
Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootupa-√i (इ धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
sva-śibiramhis own camp
sva-śibiram:
Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
TypeNoun
Rootsva (स्व) + śibira (शिबिर)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'own camp'
govinda-priya-sārathiḥGovinda’s dear charioteer
govinda-priya-sārathiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgovinda (गोविन्द) + priya (प्रिय) + sārathi (सारथि)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'the charioteer dear to Govinda'
nyavedayatinformed/announced
nyavedayat:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootni-√vid (विद् धातु, 'to inform')
FormImperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
tamhim
tam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
priyāyaito his beloved (wife)
priyāyai:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootpriyā (प्रिया प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)
śocantyāḥof (her) who was lamenting
śocantyāḥ:
Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeVerb
Root√śuc (शुच् धातु)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies priyāyāḥ (understood)
ātma-jān(her) sons
ātma-jān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (आत्मन्) + ja (ज, 'born')
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); 'own sons'
hatānkilled
hatān:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Root√han (हन् धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies ātma-jān

The transcendental relation of Arjuna with Kṛṣṇa is of the dearmost friendship. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord Himself has claimed Arjuna as His dearmost friend. Every living being is thus related with the Supreme Lord by some sort of affectionate relation, either as servant or as friend or as parent or as an object of conjugal love. Everyone thus can enjoy the company of the Lord in the spiritual realm if he at all desires and sincerely tries for it by the process of bhakti-yoga.

A
Arjuna
G
Govinda (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
D
Draupadī

FAQs

It narrates that Arjuna returned to the Pāṇḍava camp and informed Draupadī—who was mourning her slain sons—about the situation, with Kṛṣṇa (Govinda) as his beloved charioteer.

The verse emphasizes Kṛṣṇa’s intimate role as Arjuna’s sārathi, underscoring divine guidance and protection in the aftermath of war and during the pursuit of justice.

It teaches to communicate truthfully and act with dharma-guided support—seeking wise counsel and divine remembrance while responding to tragedy without losing moral clarity.