Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.175.44 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 44
प्रजानाथ! उसने कवच, धनुष, बाण और खड्ग धारण कर रखे थे। वह श्रीकृष्ण और पाण्डुपुत्र धनंजयको प्रणाम करके उस समय भगवान् श्रीकृष्णसे बोला--'प्रभो! यह मैं सेवामें उपस्थित हूँ। मुझे आज्ञा दीजिये, क्या करूँ?” ।।
prajānātha! sa kavacaṃ dhanuḥ bāṇān khaḍgaṃ ca dhārayāmāsa. sa śrīkṛṣṇaṃ pāṇḍuputraṃ dhanañjayaṃ ca praṇamya tadā bhagavantaṃ śrīkṛṣṇam abravīt— “prabho! ahaṃ sevāyām upasthitaḥ. ājñāpaya, kiṃ karomi?” || tataḥ taṃ meghasaṅkāśaṃ dīptāsyaṃ dīptakuṇḍalam | abhyabhāṣata haiḍimbiṃ dāśārhaḥ prahasann iva ||
O Herr der Geschöpfe! In Panzer, mit Bogen, Pfeilen und Schwert, verneigte er sich vor Śrī Kṛṣṇa und vor Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), dem Sohn Pāṇḍus, und sprach zu Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa: „Gebieter, ich stehe zum Dienst bereit. Befiehl — was soll ich heute tun?“ Daraufhin redete Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa), gleichsam lächelnd, zu dem Haiḍimba (Ghaṭotkaca), schwarz wie eine Regenwolke, mit flammendem Antlitz und glänzenden Ohrringen.
श्रीवायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined power: a mighty warrior first bows to legitimate authority and offers himself for service, asking for clear instruction. Ethically, it frames martial strength as something to be guided by dharma and rightful command rather than personal impulse.
Ghaṭotkaca arrives fully armed, salutes Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, and declares his readiness to serve. Kṛṣṇa then addresses him—described as cloud-dark with a blazing face and shining earrings—indicating that Kṛṣṇa is about to assign him a role in the ongoing battle.
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