Shloka 31

Kṛṣṇa’s Dhyāna and the Prompt to Question Bhīṣma (कृष्णध्यानं भीष्मप्रश्नप्रेरणा च)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच श्रुत्वैवं धर्मराजस्यथ वचन मधुसूदन: । पार्श्वस्थं सात्यकिं प्राह रथो मे युज्यतामिति

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca

śrutvaivaṁ dharmarājasya tathā vacanaṁ madhusūdanaḥ |

pārśvasthaṁ sātyakiṁ prāha ratho me yujyatām iti ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Hearing the words of Dharmarāja just so, Madhusūdana (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) spoke to Sātyaki, who was standing nearby: “Let my chariot be yoked and made ready.”

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• धर्मराजस्य: of Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• वचनम्: speech; words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• पार्श्वस्थम्: standing nearby
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्श्वस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सात्यकिम्: Sātyaki
• सात्यकिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राह: said; spoke to
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+अह्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• रथः: chariot
• रथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मे: my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• युज्यताम्: let (it) be yoked; be harnessed
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज्
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada, Positive

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)
• Sātyaki (Yuyudhāna)
• chariot (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prompt, disciplined readiness to act after hearing a righteous king’s counsel: Kṛṣṇa responds without delay, signaling that dharmic deliberation should culminate in timely, purposeful action.

What is happening in the narrative?

After listening to Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira), Kṛṣṇa turns to Sātyaki standing nearby and instructs him to have Kṛṣṇa’s chariot harnessed and prepared, indicating an imminent departure or next course of action.