Shloka 61

Samrāt-Lakṣaṇa and the Counsel to Check Jarāsandha (सम्राट्-लक्षणं जरासन्ध-प्रतिबाधा-परामर्शः)

Devanagari script

(वितद्रुर्ल्लिबभ्रू च उद्धवो5थ विदूरथ: । वसुदेवोग्रसेनौ च सप्तैते मन्त्रिपुड्रवा: ।।

Transliteration

vitadrur jhallibabhruś ca uddhavo 'tha vidūrathaḥ | vasudevograse­nau ca saptaite mantripuṅgavāḥ || prasenajic ca yamalau rājarājaguṇānvitau | syamantako maṇir yasya rukmaṃ nisravate bahu || sa tvaṃ samrāḍ guṇair yuktaḥ sadā bharatasattama | kṣatre samrājam ātmānaṃ kartum arhasi bhārata ||

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: “Vitadru, Jhalli, Babhru, and also Uddhava and Vidūratha, together with Vasudeva and Ugrasena—these seven are the foremost of ministers. Prasenajit and Satrājit, the twin brothers, are endowed with virtues like those of the lord of wealth; the Syamantaka jewel belongs to them, and from it abundant gold continually issues forth. But you, O best of the Bharatas, are ever possessed of the qualities of a sovereign; therefore, O Bhārata, you are worthy to make yourself the emperor among the Kṣatriyas.”

Word by Word

• वितद्रुः: Vitadru (a person’s name)
• वितद्रुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वितद्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• झल्लिः: Jhalli (a person’s name)
• झल्लिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: झल्लि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बभ्रुः: Babhru (a person’s name)
• बभ्रुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बभ्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• उद्धवः: Uddhava
• उद्धवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then/and also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• विदूरथः: Vidūratha
• विदूरथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदूरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वसुदेवः: Vasudeva
• वसुदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उग्रसेनौ: Ugrasena (dual form as in the received text)
• उग्रसेनौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उग्रसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सप्त: seven
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एते: these
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मन्त्रि-प्रवराः: chief ministers
• मन्त्रि-प्रवराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रि + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रसेनजित्: Prasenajit
• प्रसेनजित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसेनजित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यमलौ: the twin (pair)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• राज-राज-गुण-अन्वितः: endowed with kingly/royal virtues
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज + राज + गुण + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्यमन्तकः: Syamantaka (name of the jewel)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यमन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मणिः: jewel
• मणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यस्य: whose/of whom
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• रुक्मम्: gold
• रुक्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• निस्रवते: flows out/drips forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस्-स्रु (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• बहु: much/abundantly
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सः: he/that (one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सम्राट्: emperor
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्राज्/सम्राट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुणैः: with virtues/qualities
• गुणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• युक्तः: endowed/connected
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• भरत-सत्तम: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• क्षत्रे: in the kshatriya order/among warriors
• क्षत्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सम्राजम्: emperor (as status/role)
• सम्राजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्राज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आत्मानम्: yourself
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कर्तुम्: to make/to do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: Infinitive

• अर्हसि: you ought/are worthy
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Vitadru
• Jhalli
• Babhru
• Uddhava
• Vidūratha
• Vasudeva
• Ugrasena
• Prasenajit
• Satrājit
• Syamantaka jewel
• Kubera (implied by rājarāja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kṛṣṇa contrasts mere material prosperity (the Syamantaka jewel that yields gold) with rightful sovereignty grounded in personal virtues. He urges the addressee to assume imperial leadership because he possesses the qualities required for just rule among the Kṣatriyas.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa enumerates prominent Yādava ministers and mentions the famed Syamantaka jewel associated with Prasenajit and Satrājit. He then turns to the listener and encourages him to establish himself as emperor, emphasizing fitness for rule rather than dependence on wealth alone.