Shloka 16

सभा पर्व, अध्याय ३७ — युधिष्ठिरस्य भीष्मोपदेशः

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Consultation and Bhīṣma’s Counsel in the Assembly

Devanagari script

येनात्मबलमरश्रित्य राजानो युधि निर्जिता: । तं च कर्णमतिक्रम्य कथं कृष्णस्त्वयार्चित:,भारत! ये जो अपने बलके द्वारा सब राजाओंसे होड़ लेते हैं, विप्रवर परशुरामजीके प्रिय शिष्य हैं तथा जिन्होंने अपने बलका भरोसा करके युद्धमें अनेक राजाओंको परास्त किया है, उन महाबली कर्णको छोड़कर तुमने कृष्णकी आराधना कैसे की?

Transliteration

yenātmabalam āśritya rājāno yudhi nirjitāḥ | taṃ ca karṇam atikramya kathaṃ kṛṣṇas tvayārcitaḥ, bhārata |

Translation

Relying on his own strength, he has defeated kings in battle. Yet, passing over that Karṇa, how is it that you have honored Kṛṣṇa, O Bhārata?

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'yena', 'definition': 'by whom

• through whom (instrumental relative pronoun)'}, {'term': 'ātma-bala', 'definition': 'one’s own strength

• personal might'}, {'term': 'āśritya', 'definition': 'having relied upon

• taking refuge in'}, {'term': 'rājānaḥ', 'definition': 'kings

• rulers'}, {'term': 'yudhi', 'definition': 'in battle

• in war'}, {'term': 'nirjitāḥ', 'definition': 'defeated

• conquered'}, {'term': 'taṃ', 'definition': 'that (person)

• him'}, {'term': 'karṇam', 'definition': 'Karṇa (the warrior-king of Aṅga)'}, {'term': 'atikramya', 'definition': 'passing over

• bypassing'}, {'term': 'katham', 'definition': 'how? in what way?'}, {'term': 'kṛṣṇaḥ', 'definition': 'Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva)'}, {'term': 'tvayā', 'definition': 'by you (instrumental singular)'}, {'term': 'arcitaḥ', 'definition': 'honored

• revered'}, {'term': 'bhārata', 'definition': 'O Bhārata

Speaker

शिशुपाल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शिशुपाल (Śiśupāla)
• कर्ण (Karṇa)
• कृष्ण (Kṛṣṇa)
• भारत (Bhārata—address to Yudhiṣṭhira)
• राजानः (kings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a clash of value-systems: Śiśupāla argues that public honor should follow visible martial achievement (kṣatriya prowess), while the broader episode questions whether true worth is measured only by battlefield victories or by deeper dharmic and spiritual stature.

What is happening in the narrative?

During Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya, the assembly chooses Kṛṣṇa for the foremost honor (arghya). Śiśupāla objects, pointing to Karṇa’s reputation for defeating kings in war and accusing the hosts of wrongly bypassing him in favor of Kṛṣṇa.