Shloka 16

Devanagari script

केशवस्तु ततो बाहू विधुन्चन्‌ रणमूर्थनि

Transliteration

keśavas tu tato bāhū vidhun̄can raṇamūrdhani

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Dann schüttelte Keśava, an der vordersten Front des Kampfes stehend, seine Arme—eine nachdrückliche Geste der Bereitschaft und Entschlossenheit, ein Zeichen unbeirrbarer Stütze für den Weg des Dharma inmitten der Kriegsnot.

Word by Word

• केशवः: Keshava (Krishna)
• केशवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• ततः: then/from there/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• बाहू: two arms
• बाहू: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• विधुन्वन्: shaking/brandishing
• विधुन्वन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विधुन्वत्
• Form: Present participle (Parasmaipada), Present, Singular, Masculine, Nominative

• रणमूर्धनि: on the battlefield (lit. on the head/top of battle)
• रणमूर्धनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रणमूर्धन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid violence and uncertainty, steadfast resolve and disciplined readiness—especially when aligned with dharma—are portrayed as necessary qualities of leadership and support.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Kṛṣṇa (Keśava), positioned at the front of the battlefield, shakes/brandishes his arms—an expressive sign of vigor, preparedness, and encouragement in the ongoing combat.