Shloka 6
नदीं प्रवर्तयित्वा च बीभत्सु: परवीरहा । वासुदेवमिदं वाक्यमब्रवीत् पुरुषर्षभ:
nadīṁ pravartayitvā ca bībhatsuḥ paravīrahā | vāsudevam idaṁ vākyam abravīt puruṣarṣabhaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Having set the river in motion—Arjuna, the slayer of enemy heroes—then addressed Vāsudeva with these words, he who is foremost among men. The moment frames Arjuna’s martial prowess as disciplined action, immediately followed by counsel-seeking speech to Kṛṣṇa, suggesting that power in war is to be guided by right judgment and alignment with dharma.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even at the height of martial capability, the hero turns to wise guidance: strength is not celebrated alone, but is shown as needing direction through counsel and dharmic discernment, here symbolized by Arjuna speaking to Kṛṣṇa immediately after a powerful act.
Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna has performed a forceful deed described as ‘setting the river in motion’ (a vivid marker of extraordinary prowess), and then Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) with a statement that follows in the subsequent verses.