Shloka 45
Nara-Nārāyaṇa Precedent and Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna; Karṇa’s Reply
पुरा युद्धात् साधु मन्ये पाण्डवै: सह संगतम् | यद् वाक्यमर्जुनेनोक्त संजयेन निवेदितम्
purā yuddhāt sādhu manye pāṇḍavaiḥ saha saṅgatam | yad vākyam arjunenoktaṃ sañjayena niveditam
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Schon vor dem Krieg halte ich es für gut und angemessen, dass es zu einer Begegnung mit den Pāṇḍavas kam, da die von Arjuna gesprochenen Worte durch Sañjaya überbracht wurden.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical value of timely counsel and truthful reporting: before violence becomes inevitable, a meaningful meeting and the faithful communication of principled words can serve dharma by opening space for reflection, restraint, and right decision-making.
Vaiśaṃpāyana, as narrator, comments that it was good that there was a meeting with the Pāṇḍavas prior to the outbreak of war, and he points to a specific statement spoken by Arjuna that was conveyed by Sañjaya—framing the episode as an important reported exchange in the lead-up to conflict.