Shloka 23

Rājasūya: Agrapūjā for Kṛṣṇa and the Slaying (and Liberation) of Śiśupāla

Devanagari script

तस्मात् कृष्णाय महते दीयतां परमार्हणम् । एवं चेत् सर्वभूतानामात्मनश्चार्हणं भवेत् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

tasmāt kṛṣṇāya mahate dīyatāṁ paramārhaṇam evaṁ cet sarva-bhūtānām ātmanaś cārhaṇaṁ bhavet

Translation

Therefore let the highest honor be offered to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. By doing so, we honor all living beings and also our own selves.

Synonyms

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial usage (originally Ablative)

• kṛṣṇāya: to Krishna
• kṛṣṇāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• mahate: to the great
• mahate: Visheshana (Adjective to kṛṣṇāya)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• dīyatām: let it be given
• dīyatām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (Lot), Passive (Karmani), 3rd Person, Singular

• parama-arhaṇam: supreme worship/honor
• parama-arhaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म - Subject in Passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama-arhaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• evam: thus/in this way
• evam: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• cet: if
• cet: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional Particle

• sarva-bhūtānām: of all beings
• sarva-bhūtānām: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva-bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• ātmanaḥ: of the self
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• arhaṇam: worship/honor
• arhaṇam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arhaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• bhavet: it would be
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Potential/Optative (Vidhi Lin), 3rd Person, Singular

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

Why is Kṛṣṇa offered the highest honor (paramārhaṇam) in the Rājasūya sacrifice?

Because Kṛṣṇa is the greatest—worthy of the first worship—and honoring Him is the most complete and supreme form of honoring the divine.

Why did Sahadeva recommend worshiping Kṛṣṇa to Yudhiṣṭhira in Canto 10 Chapter 74?

In the assembly deciding who should receive the first honor, Sahadeva established that offering it to Kṛṣṇa would satisfy the purpose of the sacrifice by honoring the Supreme within everyone.

How can this verse be applied in modern life?

By centering one’s devotion and gratitude on Kṛṣṇa (the Supreme), a person naturally develops respect and compassion for all beings, seeing them connected to the same divine Self.