Shloka 116

उलूकदूतवाक्यम् / Ulūka’s Message to the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

ततो<न्वधावद्‌ वार्ष्णेयं सर्वशस्त्रभूतां वर: । वह सम्पूर्ण शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ था। उसने यह प्रतिज्ञा करके कि मैं वृष्णिवंशी श्रीकृष्णको मारे बिना अपने नगरको नहीं लौटूँगा, उनका पीछा किया था

Transliteration

tato 'nvadhāvad vārṣṇeyaṃ sarvaśastrabhūtāṃ varaḥ | saḥ sampūrṇaśastradhāriṣu śreṣṭha āsīt | sa pratijñāṃ kṛtvā—“ahaṃ vṛṣṇivaṃśī śrīkṛṣṇaṃ mārayitvā vinā svanagaraṃ na nivartiṣye” iti—tam anujagāma |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then that foremost warrior—preeminent among all who bore weapons—pursued Vārṣṇeya (Śrī Kṛṣṇa). Having made a grim vow, “I will not return to my city unless I kill Śrī Kṛṣṇa of the Vṛṣṇi line,” he chased him.

Word by Word

ततःthen/thereafter

अन्वधावत्ran after/pursued

वार्ष्णेयम्the Vārṣṇeya (Krishna, descendant of Vṛṣṇi)

सर्वशस्त्रभूताम्who had become (as it were) all weapons / weapon-incarnate

वरःthe excellent/best one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Vārṣṇeya (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

Vṛṣṇi lineage

sva-nagara (his city)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the moral danger of binding oneself to a violent vow: when personal resolve is driven by enmity and pride, it can override discernment (dharma-viveka) and push one toward adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

A renowned, fully armed warrior chases Śrī Kṛṣṇa (called Vārṣṇeya), declaring he will not return to his city unless he kills him—showing escalating hostility and the force of a self-imposed oath.