Shloka 9

Śalya-parva Adhyāya 34: Balarāma’s Withdrawal, Sarasvatī Pilgrimage Logistics, and Prabhāsa as Soma’s Renewal Tīrtha

Devanagari script

कृष्णौ चापि महेष्वासावभिवाद्य हलायुधम्‌

Transliteration

kṛṣṇau cāpi maheṣvāsāv abhivādya halāyudham

Translation

Sañjaya said: The two Kṛṣṇas as well—those mighty archers—paid their respectful salutations to Halāyudha (Balarāma). The moment underscores the epic’s ethic of honoring elders and revered kin even amid the pressures and divisions of war.

Word by Word

• कृष्णौ: the two Krishnas (Krishna and Arjuna)
• कृष्णौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

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

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• महेष्वासौ: the two great archers
• महेष्वासौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अभिवाद्य: having saluted / having paid respects to
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + वद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage as gerund)

• हलायुधम्: Halāyudha (Balarāma; 'whose weapon is a plough')
• हलायुधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हलायुध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva)
• Kṛṣṇa (Arjuna, often called Kṛṣṇa/Śyāma in epic usage)
• Halāyudha (Balarāma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a fractured, war-driven setting, dharma expresses itself through basic ethical discipline—showing reverence to elders and honored relatives. Courtesy and respect are not suspended by conflict; they are markers of inner restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the two figures referred to as ‘the two Kṛṣṇas’—described as great archers—approach and formally salute Halāyudha, i.e., Balarāma, acknowledging his seniority and revered status.