Shloka 16
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 95 — Sātyaki’s Breakthrough and the Routing of Allied Contingents
कृष्णश्व भृशसंतप्तो दृष्टवा पार्थ विचेतनम् । आश्वासयत् सुहसद्याभिवाग्भिस्तत्र धनंजयम्,अर्जुनको अचेत हुआ देख भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण अत्यन्त संतप्त हो उठे और मनको प्रिय लगनेवाले वचनोंद्वारा वहाँ उन्हें आश्वासन देने लगे
sañjaya uvāca | kṛṣṇaśvaḥ bhṛśa-saṃtaptas dṛṣṭvā pārthaṃ vicetanam | āśvāsayat su-hṛdya-abhivāgbhis tatra dhanañjayam ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing Pārtha (Arjuna) lying senseless, Kṛṣṇa—whose steeds are famed—was deeply distressed. There, with words that were affectionate and heartening, he began to console and reassure Dhanañjaya, seeking to restore his composure amid the strain of battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in righteous warfare, sensitivity to suffering and the duty to steady a shaken ally are essential. Kṛṣṇa’s distress and consoling speech model ethical leadership: compassion without abandoning responsibility, and restoring clarity when a warrior’s mind collapses under shock.
Arjuna has become unconscious on the battlefield. Seeing this, Kṛṣṇa is intensely pained and immediately begins to reassure him with affectionate, encouraging words, attempting to revive his resolve and awareness amid the ongoing conflict.