Shloka 59

अस्त्रयुद्धे द्रौणिपार्थसंघर्षः — Karṇa’s Bhārgavāstra and the Search for Yudhiṣṭhira

Chapter 45

Devanagari script

एतच्चक्रं गदा शार्ज शड्ख: कृष्णस्य धीमत: । अत्यर्थ भ्राजते कृष्णे कौस्तुभस्तु मणिस्तत:,'ये बुद्धिमान्‌ श्रीकृष्णके शंख, चक्र, गदा, शार्ज्-धनुष अत्यन्त शोभा पा रहे हैं। उनके वक्ष:स्थलपर कौस्तुभमणि सबसे अधिक प्रकाशित हो रही है

Transliteration

etac cakraṃ gadā śārṅgaḥ śaṅkhaḥ kṛṣṇasya dhīmataḥ | atyarthaṃ bhrājate kṛṣṇe kaustubhas tu maṇis tataḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “This discus, the mace, the Śārṅga bow, and the conch of the wise Kṛṣṇa are shining with extraordinary splendor upon him; and upon his chest the Kaustubha jewel, above all, blazes forth most brilliantly.”

Word by Word

• {'etac (etat)': 'this', 'cakram': 'discus (Sudarśana-cakra, emblem of divine sovereignty and protection)', 'gadā': 'mace (weapon

• emblem of strength and restraint)', 'śārṅgaḥ': 'Śārṅga (Kṛṣṇa’s bow)', 'śaṅkhaḥ': 'conch (Pāñcajanya

• emblem of auspicious proclamation)', 'kṛṣṇasya': 'of Kṛṣṇa', 'dhīmataḥ': 'of the intelligent/wise one', 'atyartham': 'exceedingly, greatly', 'bhrājate': 'shines, gleams', 'kṛṣṇe': 'on/in Kṛṣṇa (locative: ‘upon Kṛṣṇa’)', 'kaustubhaḥ': 'Kaustubha (the famed jewel worn on Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa’s chest)', 'tu': 'but/and (emphatic contrast)', 'maṇiḥ': 'jewel, gem', 'tataḥ': 'there/then

• in that place (contextually: ‘thereupon/among them’)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Kṛṣṇa
• Cakra (discus)
• Gadā (mace)
• Śārṅga (bow)
• Śaṅkha (conch)
• Kaustubha-maṇi (Kaustubha jewel)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even within the violence of battle, the text highlights signs of divine order: Kṛṣṇa’s radiant insignia symbolize disciplined power guided by wisdom, suggesting that true strength is aligned with dharma rather than mere force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya, narrating the battlefield to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, describes Kṛṣṇa’s resplendent appearance—his conch, discus, mace, Śārṅga bow, and especially the Kaustubha jewel—emphasizing his extraordinary, protective presence amid the war.