Shloka 21
Dvārakāyāṃ Sāhāyya-vibhāgaḥ (Alliance Allocation at Dvārakā) / उद्योगपर्व अध्याय ७
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु कृष्णेन कुन्तीपुत्रो धनंजय: । अयुध्यमानं संग्रामे वरयामास केशवम्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्! श्रीकृष्णके ऐसा कहनेपर कुन्तीकुमार धनंजयने संग्रामभूमिमें युद्ध न करनेवाले उन भगवान् श्रीकृष्णको ही (अपना सहायक) चुना, जो साक्षात् शत्रुहन्ता नारायण हैं और अजन्मा होते हुए भी स्वेच्छासे देवता, दानव तथा समस्त क्षत्रियोंके सम्मुख मनुष्योंमें अवतीर्ण हुए हैं
vaiśampāyana uvāca evam uktaḥ tu kṛṣṇena kuntīputro dhanañjayaḥ | ayudhyamānaṃ saṃgrāme varayāmāsa keśavam ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Als Kṛṣṇa so geredet hatte, wählte Dhanañjaya, Kuntīs Sohn, Keśava zu seinem Beistand, obwohl Kṛṣṇa auf dem Schlachtfeld nicht kämpfen würde.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arjuna’s selection of Kṛṣṇa—despite Kṛṣṇa’s vow not to fight—highlights that moral clarity, wise counsel, and dharmic alignment can be more decisive than sheer military power. The verse points to the ethical dimension of war: victory is sought not only through weapons but through right guidance and righteous intent.
In the choice of allies before the great war, Kṛṣṇa offers options; after Kṛṣṇa speaks, Arjuna (Dhanañjaya) chooses Kṛṣṇa himself as his support, even though Kṛṣṇa will not take up arms. This sets the stage for Kṛṣṇa’s role as charioteer and guide.