Shloka 44

Devanagari script

अगस्त्यशास्तां च दिशं प्रयाता: सम जनार्दन । अचिरेणैव कालेन प्राप्स्यामो यमसादनम्‌,“महाबाहु जनार्दन! मैंने स्वप्नमें देखा, भीष्म और द्रोणाचार्य दोनों महारथी मेरे तथा दुर्योधनके साथ ऊँट जुते हुए रथपर आरूढ़ हो दक्षिण दिशाकी ओर जा रहे थे। विभो! इसका फल यह होगा कि हमलोग थोड़े ही दिनोंमें यमलोक पहुँच जायँगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

agastyāśāstāṃ ca diśaṃ prayātāḥ sama janārdana |

acireṇaiva kālena prāpsyāmo yamasādanam ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: “O Janardana, we are heading toward the southern quarter ruled by Agastya. In a very short time, we shall reach the abode of Yama.”

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sanjaya said', 'agastya': 'Agastya (sage associated with the southern direction)', 'āśāstāṃ (āśās-tām)': 'ruled over, presided over', 'diśam': 'direction, quarter', 'prayātāḥ': 'having set out, going forth', 'sama': 'together, along with (addressing/including the listener in the situation)', 'janārdana': 'Janardana (epithet of Krishna

• ‘chastiser of the wicked/afflicter of men’)', 'acireṇa': 'before long, soon', 'eva': 'indeed, certainly', 'kālena': 'in time

• within a period', 'prāpsyāmaḥ': 'we shall reach/attain', 'yamasādanam': 'the abode/seat of Yama (death

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Janardana (Krishna)
• Agastya
• Yama
• southern direction (dakṣiṇā diś)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical warning that when conflict is pursued through stubbornness and adharma, the outcome swiftly tends toward ruin; ominous signs function as moral prompts to restrain violence and return to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya addresses Krishna (Janardana) with a foreboding declaration: they are moving toward the southern quarter associated with Agastya and, symbolically, toward Yama’s abode—an omen that death is near and the impending war will bring rapid destruction.