Shloka 8

गान्धारी-प्रशमनम् — Pacification of Gāndhārī and Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel at Hāstinapura

Devanagari script

ततो गाण्डीवधन्वानमभ्यभाषत केशव: । स्थित: प्रियहिते नित्यमतीव भरतर्षभ

Transliteration

tato gāṇḍīvadhanvānam abhyabhāṣata keśavaḥ | sthitaḥ priyahite nityam atīva bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Keśava addressed the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva—ever steadfast in what was dear and beneficial (to him), O bull among the Bharatas.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्ययम्

• गाण्डीवधन्वानम्: Arjuna (the bearer of the Gāṇḍīva bow)
• गाण्डीवधन्वानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाण्डीवधन्वन् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• अभ्यभाषत: spoke to, addressed
• अभ्यभाषत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (धातुः)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• केशवः: Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• केशवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• स्थितः: standing, abiding
• स्थितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातुः) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (केशवस्य विशेषणम्)

• प्रियहिते: in what is dear and beneficial (in the beloved's welfare)
• प्रियहिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रियहित (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: अव्ययम् (क्रियाविशेषणम्)

• अतीव: exceedingly, very
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्ययम्)
• Form: अव्ययम् (क्रियाविशेषणम्)

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas (best of the Bharatas)
• भरतर्षभ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतर्षभ (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Gāṇḍīvadhanvan (Arjuna)
• Gāṇḍīva
• Bharata (dynastic reference)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal of counsel grounded in true welfare (hita) rather than mere pleasantness (priya). Kṛṣṇa is portrayed as one who remains steady in seeking what is genuinely beneficial, a key ethical standard for guidance during crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) begins to address Arjuna, identified by his famed bow Gāṇḍīva. It marks a transition into Kṛṣṇa’s speech—strategic and moral guidance within the ongoing battle context of the Śalya Parva.