Shloka 34

Devanagari script

निरीक्षितुं वै शकनोति कश्चिद्‌ योद्धुं कुतः पुन: । उस वनमें रहनेवाले जो विद्याधर-जातिके लोग थे, उनकी भी यही दशा थी। महाबाहो! उस समय कोई श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनकी ओर आँख उठाकर देख भी नहीं सकता था; फिर युद्ध करनेकी तो बात ही क्या है || ३३ $ || एकायनगता ये<पि निष्पेतुस्तत्र केचन,कृष्णमशभ्युद्यतास्त्रं च नादं मुमुचुरुल्बणम्‌ | उन्होंने उस जलते हुए वनको और मारनेके लिये अस्त्र उठाये हुए श्रीकृष्ण तथा अर्जुनको देखा। उत्पात और आर्तनादके शब्दसे उस वनमें खड़े हुए वे सभी प्राणी संत्रस्त- से हो उठे थे। उस वनको अनेक प्रकारसे दग्ध होते देख और अस्त्र उठाये हुए श्रीकृष्णपर दृष्टि डाल भयानक आर्तनाद करने लगे

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

ekāyanagatā ye 'pi niṣpetus tatra kecana |

kṛṣṇam abhyudyatāstraṃ ca nādaṃ mumucur ulbaṇam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: At that time no one could even raise their eyes toward Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna—how then could there be talk of fighting? Even some who had fled in a single direction, on seeing Kṛṣṇa with weapon raised, let out a fierce, dreadful cry.

Word by Word

निरीक्षितुम्to look at, to behold

वैindeed, surely

शकनोतिis able (can)

कश्चित्someone, anyone

योद्धुम्to fight

कुतःwhence? how (then)?

पुनःagain; moreover; then

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kṛṣṇa

Arjuna (implied by context of the episode)

Khaṇḍava forest (implied by context of the burning forest episode)

weapons (astra)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the psychological and ethical atmosphere of overwhelming violence: when power is displayed as irresistible, beings respond with panic and lamentation rather than agency. It invites reflection on how fear and force can eclipse ordinary moral choice, creating a dharmic tension around acts that cause mass terror.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Khaṇḍava episode, creatures trapped in the burning forest attempt to flee. Some, seeing Kṛṣṇa (and by context Arjuna) with weapons raised, cry out loudly in terror as they scatter.