Shloka 16

Kṛṣṇa at Duryodhana’s House: Refusal of Hospitality and Departure to Vidura (कृष्णस्य धार्तराष्ट्रनिवेशनगमनम्)

Devanagari script

सत्रीणां गीतनिनादैश्व मधुरैर्मधुसूदन । वन्दिमागधसूतैश्न स्तुवद्धिबोधिता: कथम्‌

Transliteration

strīṇāṁ gītaninādaiś ca madhuraiḥ madhusūdana | vandimāgadhasūtaiś ca stuvadbhir bodhitāḥ katham ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O Madhusūdana, wie wurden sie geweckt—aus der Ruhe aufgerüttelt—durch den süßen Klang der Frauenlieder und durch das Lob, das Barden, Māgadhas und Sūtas sangen?“

Word by Word

सत्रीणाम्of the women (ladies)

गीत-निनादैःby the sounds of songs

चand

मधुरैःsweet (pleasant)

मधुसूदनO Madhusūdana (Krishna)

वन्दि-मागध-सूतैःby bards, Magadhas, and sūtas (panegyrists)

स्तुवद्भिःby those praising

बोधिताःawakened / roused

कथम्how?

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)

women singers (striyaḥ)

vandins (bards)

Māgadhas

sūtas

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?

The verse highlights the ordered social and ceremonial roles surrounding rulers and great events: awakening and public readiness are marked not only by personal intent but by communal, culturally sanctioned voices—women’s auspicious songs and the formal praise of bards—signaling dignity, duty, and the transition into action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana asks Kṛṣṇa (addressed as Madhusūdana) to describe the manner in which the relevant persons were awakened, specifically noting the sweet singing of women and the eulogies of professional court performers—vandins, Māgadhas, and sūtas—indicating a formal, palace-like morning or ceremonial arousal scene.