Mahabharata 9.5.21 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 5, Shloka 21

शल्यस्य सेनापत्याभ्युपगमः | Śalya’s Acceptance of Command

Devanagari script

कृष्णाया: प्रेष्यवद्‌ भूत्वा शुश्रूषां कुरुते सदा । इति सर्व समुन्नद्धं न निरवाति कथठ्चन

Transliteration

kṛṣṇāyāḥ preṣyavad bhūtvā śuśrūṣāṃ kurute sadā | iti sarva-samunnaddhaṃ na niravāti kathaṃcana ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Wie ein Diener der Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) geworden, erweist er ihr unablässig aufmerksamen Dienst. So lässt er, obgleich alles vollständig bereitet und in Gang gesetzt ist, zu keiner Zeit nach und wendet sich niemals ab.“

Word by Word

• कृष्णायाः: of Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)
• कृष्णायाः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णा
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• प्रेष्यवत्: like a servant
• प्रेष्यवत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेष्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: क्त्वा, Parasmaipada (usage), Absolutive (Gerund)

• शुश्रूषाम्: service, attendance
• शुश्रूषाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कुरुते: does, performs
• कुरुते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• सर्वम्: all (this), entirely
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समुन्नद्धम्: fully bound/fastened; firmly resolved (contextual)
• समुन्नद्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुन्नद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle), नह् (नद्ध = bound/fastened; with सम्+उद्)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• निरवाति: blows out/dispels (i.e., does not subside/does not get extinguished)
• निरवाति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √वा
• Form: Lat (Present), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• कथञ्चन: in any way, at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic humility and steadfast duty: even when affairs are fully underway, one should not relax in attentive service and responsibility—especially toward those to whom one owes care and honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a person (implied by context) behaves like an attendant to Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī), constantly serving her; despite everything being fully prepared, he does not cease or slacken in that service.