Shloka 37

Samrāt-Lakṣaṇa and the Counsel to Check Jarāsandha (सम्राट्-लक्षणं जरासन्ध-प्रतिबाधा-परामर्शः)

Devanagari script

तस्य हामरसंकाशौ बलेन बलिनां वरौ | नामभ्यां हंसडिम्भकावशस्त्रनिधनावुभौ,“क्योंकि बलवानोंमें श्रेष्ठ हंस और डिम्भक उसके सहायक हैं, जो बलमें देवताओंके समान हैं। उन दोनोंको यह वरदान प्राप्त है कि वे किसी अस्त्र-शस्त्रसे नहीं मारे जा सकते”

Transliteration

tasya hāmarasaṅkāśau balena balināṁ varau | nāmabhyāṁ haṁsaḍimbhakāv aśastranidhanāv ubhau ||

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa sprach: „Er hat zwei erstrangige Stützen unter den Mächtigen — Haṃsa und Ḍimbhaka — deren Kraft der der Götter gleicht. Beide haben einen Segen erlangt: Durch Waffen können sie nicht getötet werden.“

Word by Word

तस्यof him/its

हामर-संकाशौtwo, resembling (the) Hāmara

बलेनby strength

बलिनाम्of the strong (ones)

वरौtwo best/excellent (ones)

नामभ्याम्by (their) two names

हंस-डिम्भकौHamsa and Dimbhaka

अशस्त्र-निधनौnot having death by weapons (i.e., not killable by weapons)

उभौboth

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Haṁsa

Ḍ

Ḍimbhaka

weapons (astra-śastra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Exceptional power or invulnerability (such as a boon against weapons) can enable arrogance and injustice; dharmic action then requires discernment—choosing means aligned with righteousness and wisdom rather than relying only on brute force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa identifies two powerful allies—Haṁsa and Ḍimbhaka—describing their godlike strength and their boon of being unslayable by weapons, thereby explaining why confronting them is not straightforward by ordinary martial methods.