Shloka 8

Arjuna’s request to Krishna and the opening of the Kāśyapa–Brāhmaṇa mokṣa discourse (Āśvamedhika-parva 16)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु तं कृष्ण: फाल्गुन॑ प्रत्यभाषत । परिष्वज्य महातेजा वचन वदतां वर:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! अर्जुनके ऐसा कहनेपर वक्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ महातेजस्वी भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णने उन्हें गलेसे लगाकर इस प्रकार उत्तर दिया

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: evam uktas tu taṃ Kṛṣṇaḥ Phālgunaṃ pratyabhāṣata | pariṣvajya mahātejā vacanaṃ vadatāṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: When Arjuna had spoken thus, Kṛṣṇa—foremost among speakers and radiant with great splendor—embraced Phālguna and replied to him.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaishampayana

उवाचsaid

एवम्thus

उक्तःhaving been addressed / spoken to

तुbut/indeed

तम्him

कृष्णःKrishna

फाल्गुनम्Phalguna (Arjuna)

प्रत्यभाषतreplied / spoke in return

परिष्वज्यhaving embraced

महातेजाःof great splendor

वचनम्words / speech

वदताम्of those who speak

वरःthe best

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kṛṣṇa

Phālguna (Arjuna)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical instruction is most effective when joined with empathy: Kṛṣṇa’s embrace signals reassurance and responsibility, preparing Arjuna to receive guidance not merely as command but as caring counsel aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Arjuna speaks, Kṛṣṇa responds. Before speaking, he embraces Arjuna (Phālguna), and then begins his reply—marking a shift from Arjuna’s statement to Kṛṣṇa’s authoritative yet affectionate counsel.