Shloka 25

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ पर्णानि शाखाश्व स्कन्ध॑ चोत्सृज्य सूतज । कृष्णं हि विद्धि पाण्डूनां मूलं सर्वत्र सर्वदा,“अतः सूतनन्दन! तुम पत्तों, डालियों और तनेको छोड़कर जड़को ही काट दो। सर्वत्र और सदा श्रीकृष्णको ही पाण्डवोंकी जड़ समझो”

Transliteration

tasmāt parṇāni śākhāś ca skandhaṁ cotsṛjya sūtaja | kṛṣṇaṁ hi viddhi pāṇḍūnāṁ mūlaṁ sarvatra sarvadā ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Darum, o Sohn des Wagenlenkers, lass Blätter, Zweige und selbst den Stamm beiseite—triff die Wurzel selbst. Wisse: Kṛṣṇa allein ist überall und jederzeit die Wurzel der Pāṇḍavas.“

Word by Word

तस्मात्therefore/from that reason

पर्णानिleaves

शाखाःbranches

चand

स्कन्धम्trunk/stem

उत्सृज्यhaving left/abandoning

सूतजO son of a charioteer (Karna)

कृष्णम्Krishna

हिindeed/for

विद्धिknow (you)!/understand!

पाण्डूनाम्of the Pandavas

मूलम्root (source)

सर्वत्रeverywhere

सर्वदाalways

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Sūtaja (Karṇa)

Kṛṣṇa

Pāṇḍavas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches strategic discernment: do not waste effort on peripheral targets (leaves, branches, trunk) when the true sustaining cause is elsewhere. Ethically and narratively, it highlights Kṛṣṇa as the decisive support of the Pāṇḍavas—implying that their strength is not merely military but rooted in guidance, dharma-aligned counsel, and divine protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Drona Parva war context, Sañjaya reports counsel directed to Karṇa (addressed as sūtaja): instead of attacking the Pāṇḍava warriors as separate ‘parts,’ he should recognize Kṛṣṇa as their central pillar and aim at that ‘root,’ since Kṛṣṇa’s presence and strategy continually sustain their success.