Shloka 29
अर्जुन चापि राधेयात् सदा रक्षति केशव: । न होनमैच्छत् प्रमुखे सौते: स्थापयितुं रणे
arjunaṁ cāpi rādheyāt sadā rakṣati keśavaḥ | na honam aicchat pramukhe sauteḥ sthāpayituṁ raṇe ||
Sañjaya said: Keśava ever protects Arjuna from Rādheya. Therefore he did not wish, in the very forefront of battle, to place the Sūta’s son in a position of advantage.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the decisive role of divine guidance and protection (Keśava with Arjuna) in ethical warfare: strength is not merely personal prowess but also right alignment, counsel, and safeguarding. It also implies a strategic restraint—one should not recklessly elevate an opponent’s advantage at the critical front of battle.
Sañjaya reports that Kṛṣṇa continually shields Arjuna from Karṇa’s assaults. Because of this protective presence and the tactical realities of the battlefield, the speaker notes that he did not want to station Karṇa (the Sūta’s son) in the foremost position in the fight, i.e., not to give him the prime opening or advantage at the front.