Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ववन्दतुश्च संहृष्टौ शिरोभ्यां तं महेश्वरम्‌,फिर तो अत्यन्त हर्षमें भरे हुए श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन दोनों महापुरुषोंने मस्तक नवाकर भगवान महेश्वरको प्रणाम किया और उनकी आज्ञा ले उसी क्षण वे दोनों वीर बड़ी प्रसन्नताके साथ अपने शिविरको लौट आये

Transliteration

vavandatuś ca saṁhṛṣṭau śirobhyāṁ taṁ maheśvaram | atha tu atyanta-harṣeṇa pūritau śrīkṛṣṇārjunau ubhau mahāpuruṣau mastakaṁ namaskṛtvā bhagavantaṁ maheśvaraṁ praṇamya tasya ājñāṁ gṛhītvā tat-kṣaṇam eva tau vīrau mahā-prasannau sva-śibiraṁ pratyāgatau ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Overjoyed, they bowed their heads to Maheśvara. Then Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna—both great souls—having offered reverence and received his permission, at once returned to their own camp, filled with gladness.

Word by Word

ववन्दतुःthey two bowed/saluted

चand

संहृष्टौdelighted, overjoyed (the two)

शिरोभ्याम्with (their) heads

तम्him

महेश्वरम्Maheshvara (the great Lord, Shiva)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Arjuna

Maheśvara (Śiva)

camp (śibira)

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?

Even the greatest warriors act rightly when they remain humble before the divine, seek legitimate permission, and let devotion and discipline restrain ego—especially in the morally charged setting of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, filled with joy, bow to Lord Śiva (Maheśvara), receive his consent, and immediately return to their camp, indicating a completed divine encounter and the securing of auspicious sanction.