Shloka 3
Dvārakāyāṃ Sāhāyya-vibhāgaḥ (Alliance Allocation at Dvārakā) / उद्योगपर्व अध्याय ७
गते द्वारवतीं कृष्णे बलदेवे च माधवे । सह वृष्ण्यन्धकै: सर्वेरभोजैश्न शतशस्तदा
gate dvāravatīṁ kṛṣṇe baladeve ca mādhave | saha vṛṣṇyandhakaiḥ sarvair bhojaiś ca śataśas tadā ||
Vaiśampāyana said: When Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva—Mādhava and his elder brother—set out for Dvāravatī, accompanied by all the Vṛṣṇis, Andhakas, and Bhojas in their hundreds, the political situation was already tightening: movements of the Pāṇḍavas were being watched and assessed, and the march of the Yādava leaders signaled a shift in alliances and preparedness on the eve of conflict.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how major leaders’ movements carry ethical and political weight: in a dharma-crisis, vigilance, alliances, and preparedness shape outcomes. It hints that power struggles often turn on intelligence-gathering and strategic positioning, not merely open declarations.
Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva depart for Dvārakā with large contingents of the Vṛṣṇi, Andhaka, and Bhoja clans. This sets the stage for subsequent political maneuvers in the Udyoga Parva, where both sides monitor each other and seek advantage before war.