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

Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Después, el rey Duryodhana invitó a Śrī Kṛṣṇa—el más excelso entre los héroes—a compartir una comida; pero Keśava no se complació en ello y no aceptó la invitación.

Word by Word

न्यमन्त्रयत्invited

भोजनेनwith/for a meal; by means of food

नnot

अभ्यनन्दत्accepted; welcomed; approved

चand

केशवःKeśava (Kṛṣṇa)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Duryodhana

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Keśava

bhojana (meal/hospitality)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

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.