Shloka 38

Kṛṣṇa at Duryodhana’s House: Refusal of Hospitality and Departure to Vidura (कृष्णस्य धार्तराष्ट्रनिवेशनगमनम्)

Devanagari script

ज्येष्ठोपचायिनं वीरं सहदेवं युधां पतिम्‌ | शुश्रूषुं मम वार्ष्णेय माद्रीपुत्र प्रचक्ष्य मे

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

jyeṣṭhopacāyinaṃ vīraṃ sahadevaṃ yudhāṃ patim |

śuśrūṣuṃ mama vārṣṇeya mādrīputraṃ pracakṣya me ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: «Oh Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa), háblame del héroe Sahadeva, nacido de Mādrī —valeroso señor de las batallas— que honra a sus mayores y siempre se apresura a servirme».

Word by Word

• ज्येष्ठोपचायिनम्: one who serves/attends the eldest
• ज्येष्ठोपचायिनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ-उपचायिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वीरम्: hero, warrior
• वीरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सहदेवम्: Sahadeva
• सहदेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युधाम्: of battles
• युधाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• पतिम्: lord, leader
• पतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शुश्रूषुम्: eager to serve, devoted in service
• शुश्रूषुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुश्रूषु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• वार्ष्णेय: O Vārṣṇeya (descendant of Vṛṣṇi), O Krishna
• वार्ष्णेय: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ष्णेय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• माद्रीपुत्र: O son of Mādrī
• माद्रीपुत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: माद्री-पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रचक्ष्य: having told / telling (to me)
• प्रचक्ष्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चक्ष्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), —, —

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛṣṇa (Vārṣṇeya, Madhusūdana)
• Sahadeva
• Mādrī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharma expressed as humility and disciplined service: true martial excellence is paired with reverence for elders (jyeṣṭhopacāyin) and readiness to serve (śuśrūṣu), presenting Sahadeva as an ethical warrior whose strength is guided by conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, Kṛṣṇa is asked to report about Sahadeva. The speaker highlights Sahadeva’s defining qualities—respect for seniors, leadership in battle, and devoted service—framing him as a valued and dutiful member of the Pāṇḍava side.