Shloka 21
ततः प्रसिष्विदे कृष्ण: खिन्नश्नार्जुनमब्रवीत् । क्वासि पार्थ न पश्ये त्वां कच्चिज्जीवसि शत्रुहन्,उस समय श्रीकृष्ण पसीने-पसीने हो गये और खिन्न होकर अर्जुनसे बोले--'पार्थ! कहाँ हो। मैं तुम्हें देख नहीं पाता हूँ। शत्रुओंका नाश करनेवाले वीर! कया तुम जीवित हो?”
tataḥ prasiṣvide kṛṣṇaḥ khinnaś cārjunam abravīt | kvāsi pārtha na paśye tvāṁ kaccij jīvasi śatruhan ||
Then Kṛṣṇa broke into sweat; distressed, he called out to Arjuna: “Where are you, Pārtha? I cannot see you. O slayer of foes—are you still alive?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a dharmic war, uncertainty and fear for loved ones arise; true leadership includes vigilant concern for the warrior’s welfare, not merely strategic calculation. Kṛṣṇa’s anxious call underscores the human cost of conflict and the ethical seriousness of protecting those who fight for a righteous cause.
Sañjaya reports that Kṛṣṇa, unable to see Arjuna amid the turmoil, becomes sweat-soaked and distressed. He calls out, asking where Arjuna is and whether he is still alive, addressing him by epithets that recall his lineage (Pārtha) and role as a foe-slayer (śatruhan).