Shloka 36

Duryodhana’s Post-Duel Lament and Instructions (भग्नसक्थस्य विलापः)

Devanagari script

पूर्व चाभिगतं तत्र सो5पश्यदृषिसत्तमम्‌ | पादौ प्रपीड्य कृष्णस्य राज्ञश्नापि जनार्दन:

Transliteration

pūrvaṃ cābhigataṃ tatra so 'paśyad ṛṣisattamam | pādau prapīḍya kṛṣṇasya rājñaś cāpi janārdanaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: There he saw the foremost of sages, whom he had met before. Then Janārdana—Kṛṣṇa—pressed the feet of that royal personage as an act of reverence, honoring him in accordance with righteous conduct.

Word by Word

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: Avyaya (adverb)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• अभिगतम्: approached, reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-गम्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), neuter nominative/accusative singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र
• Form: Avyaya (locative adverb)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine nominative singular

• अपश्यत्: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), parasmaipada, 3rd person singular

• ऋषि-सत्तमम्: the best of sages
• ऋषि-सत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि-सत्तम
• Form: Masculine accusative singular

• पादौ: the two feet
• पादौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद
• Form: Masculine accusative dual

• प्रपीड्य: having pressed, having clasped
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पीड्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable

• कृष्णस्य: of Krishna
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine genitive singular

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine genitive singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: Avyaya

• जनार्दनः: Janardana (Krishna)
• जनार्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन
• Form: Masculine nominative singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana)
• ṛṣi-sattama (foremost sage)
• rājā (king/royal personage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed through humility and service: even Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) demonstrates reverence by personally attending to a respected figure, modeling the ethical ideal of honoring sages and elders.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator states that a foremost sage, known from an earlier meeting, is seen there; Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) then performs an act of respectful service by pressing the feet of a royal personage, signaling honor and proper conduct in that setting.