Shloka 14
आने प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा ब्राह्मणांश्व जनार्दन: । कौस्तुभं मणिमामुच्य श्रिया परमया ज्वलन्,महान् सजल मेघोंकी गर्जनाके समान गम्भीर शब्द करनेवाले तथा सब प्रकारके रत्नोंसे विभूषित हुए उस दिव्य रथको उपस्थित जान अग्नि एवं ब्राह्मणोंको दाहिने करके, गलेमें कौस्तुभभणि डालकर, अपनी उत्कृष्ट शोभासे प्रकाशित होते हुए, कौरवोंसे घिरकर एवं वृष्णिवंशी वीरोंसे सुरक्षित हो समस्त यादवोंको आनन्द प्रदान करनेवाले महामना शूरनन्दन जनार्दन श्रीकृष्ण उस रथपर आरूढ़ हुए
vaiśampāyana uvāca | agniṃ brāhmaṇāṃś ca pradakṣiṇaṃ kṛtvā janārdanaḥ | kaustubhaṃ maṇim āmuccya śriyā paramayā jvalan | kṛtāñjalir iva gambhīraśabdaṃ kurvāṇaṃ sajala-megha-garjana-samam | sarva-ratna-vibhūṣitaṃ divyaṃ rathaṃ samupasthitaṃ jñātvā | kauravaiḥ parivṛtaḥ vṛṣṇi-vīraiḥ surakṣitaḥ sarva-yādavān ānandayann mahāmanāḥ śūra-nandanaḥ śrī-kṛṣṇo janārdano ratham ārūḍhavān |
Vaiśampāyana said: Having circumambulated the sacred fire and the brāhmaṇas, Janārdana—wearing the Kaustubha jewel and blazing with supreme splendor—approached the divine chariot, adorned with every kind of gem and resonant with a deep sound like the thunder of rain-laden clouds. With the fire and the brāhmaṇas kept to his right in reverence, surrounded by the Kauravas and protected by the Vṛṣṇi heroes, the high-minded Śrī Kṛṣṇa, delighting all the Yādavas, mounted that chariot.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in the midst of political maneuvering and the approach of war, dharma is upheld through reverence to sacred institutions: Kṛṣṇa first honors Agni and the brāhmaṇas by pradakṣiṇā, signaling that righteous conduct and respect for spiritual authority should precede public action.
Vaiśampāyana describes Kṛṣṇa’s majestic public movement: wearing the Kaustubha and shining with splendor, he honors the fire and brāhmaṇas, approaches the jewel-adorned divine chariot whose sound is like thunder, and then mounts it, surrounded by Kauravas and guarded by Vṛṣṇi warriors, bringing joy to the Yādavas.