Shloka 96

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 130: Kuntī’s Instruction on Rājadharma and Daṇḍanīti

Devanagari script

अग्रे बभूवु: कृष्णस्य समुद्यतमहायुधा: । भीमसेन

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

agre babhūvuḥ kṛṣṇasya samudyata-mahāyudhāḥ |

bhīmasenaḥ yudhiṣṭhiraś ca tathā mādrīnandana-nakula-sahadevau bhagavataḥ pṛṣṭhabhāge sthitāḥ |

pradyumnādayo vṛṣṇivaṃśyā andhakavaṃśyāś ca yoddhā hastayoḥ viśālāyudhāni dhārayantaḥ bhagavataḥ agrabhāge prādurabhavan |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: In front of Kṛṣṇa stood warriors with great weapons raised. Behind the Lord were Bhīmasena, Yudhiṣṭhira, and the sons of Mādrī—Nakula and Sahadeva. In the Lord’s vanguard appeared Pradyumna and other heroes of the Vṛṣṇi and Andhaka lineages, bearing massive weapons in their hands. The formation underscores a dharmic order of protection: the righteous leaders are guarded, while the foremost fighters take the forward position under Kṛṣṇa’s guidance.

Word by Word

• अग्रे: in front, ahead
• अग्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र
• Form: locative-adverb

• बभूवुः: became / were
• बभूवुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, plural, Parasmaipada

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• समुद्यत: raised, uplifted
• समुद्यत: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उद्-यत
• Form: past passive participle (kta), masculine, nominative, plural

• महा: great, huge
• महा: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural, as first member in compound; indeclinable-like form

• आयुधाः: weapons / armed warriors
• आयुधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛṣṇa
• Bhīmasena
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Mādrī
• Pradyumna
• Vṛṣṇi lineage
• Andhaka lineage
• mahāyudha (great weapons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic order in conflict: righteous leadership is safeguarded, and capable protectors take the front under Kṛṣṇa’s direction, suggesting that power should be organized to defend justice rather than to display aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a martial arrangement around Kṛṣṇa: armed Vṛṣṇi-Andhaka heroes (including Pradyumna) stand in front as the vanguard, while key Pāṇḍava figures—Bhīma, Yudhiṣṭhira, and the twins Nakula-Sahadeva—remain positioned behind him.