Shloka 24

Devanagari script

सनातनौ महात्मानौ कृष्णावेकरथे स्थितौ । दुर्योधन तदा तात स्मर्तासि वचनं मम,वत्स दुर्योधन! जब तुम देखोगे कि दोनों सनातन महात्मा श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन एक ही रथपर बैठे हैं, श्रीकृष्णके हाथमें शंख, चक्र और गदा है और भयंकर धनुष धारण करनेवाले अर्जुन निरन्तर नाना प्रकारके अस्त्र लेते और छोड़ते जा रहे हैं, तब तुम्हें मेरी बातें याद आयेंगी

Transliteration

sanātanau mahātmānau kṛṣṇāv ekarathe sthitau | duryodhana tadā tāta smartāsi vacanaṃ mama ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “When you behold the two eternal, great-souled Kṛṣṇas—Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna—seated together on a single chariot, then, O Duryodhana, dear child, you will remember my words.” The statement underscores the moral inevitability of consequences: when divine guidance and righteous prowess unite, arrogance and injustice are forced to confront truth.

Word by Word

सनातनौeternal

महात्मानौgreat-souled ones

कृष्णौthe two Krishnas (Krishna and Arjuna)

एकरथेin one chariot

स्थितौstanding/placed

दुर्योधनO Duryodhana

तदाthen

तातdear one/son

स्मर्तासिyou will remember

वचनम्words/saying

ममof me / my

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Duryodhana

Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva)

Arjuna

one chariot (ekaratha)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse conveys moral inevitability: when righteousness (Arjuna’s disciplined valor) is united with divine wisdom and protection (Kṛṣṇa), unjust ambition and pride (Duryodhana’s stance) will be compelled to recognize the truth—often too late. It functions as a warning against adharma and overconfidence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a pointed address to Duryodhana: he will remember this warning when he later sees Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna together on a single chariot. The image anticipates the battlefield reality where their alliance becomes decisive.