Shloka 15

Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances

Devanagari script

युयुधानेन सहितो वासुदेवस्तु पाण्डवान्‌ | रौहिणेये गते शूरे पुष्पेण मधुसूदन:

Transliteration

yuyudhānena sahito vāsudevas tu pāṇḍavān | rauhiṇeye gate śūre puṣpeṇa madhusūdanaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Accompanied by Yuyudhāna, Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) approached the Pāṇḍavas. When the valiant Rauhiṇeya (Balarāma) had departed, Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa) came to them with a gentle, conciliatory purpose—seeking to steady their resolve and guide them amid the war’s moral strain.

Word by Word

• युयुधानेन: with Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)
• युयुधानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युयुधान
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सहितः: accompanied (together)
• सहितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वासुदेवः: Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• वासुदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: indeed/but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• पाण्डवान्: the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रौहिणेये: when/while (Balarāma) the son of Rohiṇī
• रौहिणेये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौहिणेय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• गते: having gone / gone (locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शूरे: the hero
• शूरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पुष्पेण: with a flower
• पुष्पेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Pāṇḍavas
• Rauhiṇeya (Balarāma)
• Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a righteous war, leadership requires restraint and timely counsel: Kṛṣṇa approaches the Pāṇḍavas in a gentle, conciliatory manner, emphasizing steadiness of mind and ethical clarity rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Balarāma (Rauhiṇeya) has left, Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva/Madhusūdana), accompanied by Sātyaki (Yuyudhāna), goes to the Pāṇḍavas—signaling a moment of guidance and strategic-moral reassurance within the Shalya Parva war sequence.