Shloka 8

Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna Saṃvāda in Indraprastha: Consolation, Legitimation, and Leave for Dvārakā (आश्वमेधिकपर्व, अध्याय १५)

Devanagari script

मधुरास्तु कथाश्षित्राश्षित्रार्थपदनिश्चया: । निश्चयज्ञ: स पार्थाय कथयामास केशव:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

madhurās tu kathāś citrāś citrārthapadaniścayāḥ |

niścayajñaḥ sa pārthāya kathayāmāsa keśavaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Diese Berichte waren süß zu hören, vielfältig und lebendig, und ihr Sinn wurde durch wohlgewählte Worte fest begründet. Kṛṣṇa (Keśava), kundig darin, das Gewisse und Wahre zu erkennen, erzählte sie Pārtha (Arjuna).

Word by Word

मधुराःsweet, pleasant

तुbut/indeed

कथाःstories, narrations

चित्राःvariegated, wonderful

चित्रार्थपदनिश्चयाःhaving determinate (clear) words and meanings that are striking/wonderful

निश्चयज्ञःknower of certainty/decision; one who knows the conclusion

सःhe

पार्थायto Partha (Arjuna)

कथयामासtold, narrated

केशवःKeshava (Krishna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Effective ethical instruction should be both pleasing and clear: the discourse is described as sweet, vivid, and firmly grounded in meaning, and it is delivered by one who can discern what is truly certain (niścaya).

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator Vaiśampāyana frames a scene in which Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) is recounting or expounding well-formed teachings/stories to Arjuna (Pārtha), emphasizing the quality and decisiveness of the instruction.