Shloka 116

Devanagari script

न्यमन्त्रयद्‌ भोजनेन नाभ्यनन्दच्च केशव: । तदनन्तर राजा दुर्योधनने विजयी वीरोंमें श्रेष्ठ श्रीकृष्णको भोजनके लिये निमन्त्रित किया; परंतु केशवने उस निमन्त्रणको स्वीकार नहीं किया

Transliteration

nyamantrayad bhojanena nābhyanandac ca keśavaḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Duryodhana, the king, invited Śrī Kṛṣṇa—foremost among heroes—to partake of a meal; but Keśava did not welcome or accept that invitation.

Word by Word

• न्यमन्त्रयत्: invited
• न्यमन्त्रयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: निमन्त्रय् (√मन्त्र् + नि)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भोजनेन: with/for a meal; by means of food
• भोजनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अभ्यनन्दत्: accepted; welcomed; approved
• अभ्यनन्दत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-नन्द् (√नन्द् + अभि)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• केशवः: Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• केशवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Duryodhana
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Keśava
• bhojana (meal/hospitality)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Hospitality and gifts are not ethically neutral: when offered to manipulate, conceal wrongdoing, or enlist support for adharma, a righteous person may refuse them. Kṛṣṇa’s refusal models integrity—placing dharma above personal comfort, honor, or political advantage.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the tense pre-war negotiations, Duryodhana invites Kṛṣṇa to a meal as part of his attempt to win him over or at least soften his stance. Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) does not accept the invitation, signaling his disapproval of Duryodhana’s course and his commitment to a dharmic resolution.