Shloka 1
Śārṅgakānāṃ Avināśaḥ (Why the Śārṅga Birds Were Spared) | शार्ङ्गकानामविनाशः
अपना बछ। अर: (हरणाहरणपर्व) विशत्यधिकद्धिशततमो< ध्याय: द्वारकामें अर्जुन और सुभद्राका विवाह, अर्जुनके इन्द्रप्रस्थ पहुँचनेपर श्रीकृष्ण आदिका दहेज लेकर वहाँ जाना, द्रौपदीके पुत्र एवं अभिमन्युके जन्म, संस्कार और शिक्षा वैशम्पायन उवाच उक्तवन्तो यथा वीर्यमसकृत् सर्ववृष्णय: । ततोअब्रवीद् वासुदेवो वाक्य धर्मार्थसंयुतम्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! उस समय सभी वृष्णिवंशियोंने अपने-अपने पराक्रमके अनुसार अर्जुनसे बदला लेनेकी बात बार-बार दुहरायी। तब भगवान् वासुदेव यह धर्म और अर्थसे युक्त वचन बोले--
vaiśampāyana uvāca | uktavanto yathā vīryam asakṛt sarva-vṛṣṇayaḥ | tato 'bravīd vāsudevo vākyaṃ dharmārtha-saṃyutam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Janamejaya, at that time all the Vṛṣṇis repeatedly spoke—each according to his own prowess—of taking vengeance upon Arjuna. Then Vāsudeva addressed them with words aligned with dharma and prudent statecraft.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames Kṛṣṇa’s forthcoming counsel as “dharmārtha-saṃyuta”—guidance that balances moral duty (dharma) with practical wisdom and social order (artha), especially when emotions like vengeance arise.
The Vṛṣṇis, stirred by events involving Arjuna, repeatedly talk of retaliating. At that point Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) intervenes and begins to speak, setting a tone of ethical and prudent counsel.