Shloka 21

Chapter 15: Counsel on Initiative vs. Renunciation in the Rajasuya Project (सभापर्व, अध्याय १५)

Devanagari script

एवं सर्वान्‌ वशे चक्रे जरासंध: शतावरान्‌ | त॑ दुर्बलतरो राजा कथं पार्थ उपैष्यति

Transliteration

evaṁ sarvān vaśe cakre jarāsandhaḥ śatāvarān | taṁ durbalataro rājā kathaṁ pārtha upaiṣyati ||

Translation

Thus Jarāsandha has brought nearly a hundred kings under his control. O Pārtha, how could any king, far weaker than he, dare to approach him in battle?

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वशे: in (his) control, under sway
• वशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• चक्रे: made, brought (into)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• जरासन्धः: Jarasandha
• जरासन्धः: Karta
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: जरासन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शतावरान्: hundreds (of heroes/kings); those of a hundred-fold valor (contextual)
• शतावरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: शतावर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तत्: therefore/that (as a connective)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• दुर्बलतरः: weaker, very weak (comparative)
• दुर्बलतरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्बलतर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• पार्थ: O Partha (son of Pritha)
• Type: Noun (Vocative, Proper/Epithet)
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• उपैष्यति: will approach/assail/engage
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-इ
• Form: Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

कृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Jarāsandha
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• kings (subjugated rulers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Unchecked power gained by subjugating others creates a climate where weaker rulers cannot act freely or uphold dharma; confronting such tyranny requires exceptional resolve and strategy rather than ordinary courage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa describes Jarāsandha’s dominance—having subdued nearly a hundred kings—and points out to Pārtha (Arjuna) that a weaker king would not realistically dare to challenge him directly.