Shloka 58
Kṛṣṇa’s Departure, Auspicious Omens, and the Opening of the Uttaṅka Dialogue (कृष्णप्रयाण-निमित्त-उत्तङ्कसंवाद-प्रारम्भः)
ततो ययौ शत्रुगणप्रमर्दनः शिनिप्रवीरानुगतो जनार्दन: । यथा निहत्यारिगणं शतक्रतु- दिव॑ तथा5<नर्त पुरी प्रतापवान्
tato yayau śatrugaṇapramardanaḥ śinipravīrānugato janārdanaḥ | yathā nihatya arigaṇaṃ śatakratuḥ divaṃ tathā anarta-purīṃ pratāpavān ||
Then Janārdana (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), crusher of hostile hosts, set out accompanied by the foremost heroes of the Śini line. With radiant prowess he proceeded toward Anarta’s city (Dvārakā), like Śatakratu (Indra) ascending to heaven after slaying the ranks of his foes.
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal of completing a difficult, conflict-laden duty and then returning with restraint and dignity. By likening Kṛṣṇa’s departure to Indra’s ascent after victory, it suggests that power is justified when used to subdue unrighteous opposition and then laid down without further aggression.
Yudhiṣṭhira describes Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana), accompanied by the leading Śini warriors (including Sātyaki as implied by the traditional context), departing for Anarta’s city—Dvārakā—after crushing enemy forces, in a manner compared to Indra returning to heaven after defeating his foes.