Shloka 89

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 71 — Kṣatra-dharma Counsel, Public Legitimacy, and Mobilization

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच यत्‌ तुभ्यं रोचते कृष्ण स्वस्ति प्राप्तुहि कौरवान्‌ । कृतार्थ स्वस्तिमन्तं त्वां द्रक्ष्यामि पुनरागतम्‌,युधिष्ठिर बोले--श्रीकृष्ण! आपकी जैसी रुचि हो, वही कीजिये। आपका कल्याण हो। आप प्रसन्नतापूर्वक कौरवोंके पास जाइये। आशा है, मैं पुन: आपको अपने कार्यमें सफल होकर यहाँ सकुशल लौटा हुआ देखूँगा

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | yat tubhyaṃ rocate kṛṣṇa svasti prāptu hi kauravān | kṛtārthaṃ svastimantaṃ tvāṃ drakṣyāmi punarāgatam ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Kṛṣṇa, do as you deem fit. May well-being attend you. Go to the Kauravas in good fortune and with a tranquil heart. I hope to see you return here again—safe and sound—having accomplished your purpose.”

Word by Word

• {'yudhiṣṭhira uvāca': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said', 'yat': 'whatever

• that which', 'tubhyam': 'to you

• for you', 'rocate': 'is pleasing

• is agreeable', 'kṛṣṇa': 'Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva), the envoy and counselor', 'svasti': 'well-being

• safety', 'prāptu': 'to obtain

• (here) may you attain', 'hi': 'indeed

• emphatic particle', 'kauravān': 'the Kauravas (the sons/party of Dhṛtarāṣṭra)', 'kṛtārtham': 'having fulfilled the aim

• successful in the mission', 'svastimantam': 'safe

• unharmed', 'tvām': 'you', 'drakṣyāmi': 'I shall see', 'punarāgatam': 'returned again

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kṛṣṇa
• Kauravas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even on the brink of war, dharma favors exhausting peaceful and ethical means first: entrusting a wise envoy with discretion, offering blessings for safety, and valuing success defined by rightful purpose rather than mere victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Kṛṣṇa as he prepares to go to the Kauravas as a messenger. He grants Kṛṣṇa full freedom to act as he judges best, blesses him for safe passage, and expresses hope that Kṛṣṇa will return unharmed after completing the diplomatic mission.