Shloka 2

खाण्डवदाहे देवविमुखता तथा मयदानवाभयदानम् | Khāṇḍava Burning: Devas Withdraw; Maya Granted Protection

Devanagari script

वासुदेवाभ्यनुज्ञात: कथयित्वेतिकृत्यताम्‌ कृष्णस्य मतमादाय प्रययौ भरतर्षभ:

Transliteration

vāsudevābhyanujñātaḥ kathayitvetikṛtyatām | kṛṣṇasya matam ādāya prayayau bharatarṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Ayant reçu l’assentiment de Vāsudeva et, après avoir exposé comme il se doit ce qu’il fallait dire et faire, le taureau des Bhārata s’en alla, emportant avec lui l’avis mûrement pesé de Kṛṣṇa—agissant avec bienséance et respect de l’autorité légitime.

Word by Word

वासुदेवfrom Vasudeva

अभ्यनुज्ञातःhaving been permitted/authorized

कथयित्वाhaving told/related

इतिthus

कृत्यताम्what ought to be done; the required course of action

कृष्णस्यof Krishna

मतम्opinion; decision

आदायhaving taken/accepted

प्रययौwent forth; departed

भरतर्षभःthe bull among the Bharatas (best of the Bharatas)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Kṛṣṇa

Bharatarṣabha (a foremost Bharata/Kuru prince)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic procedure: one should act with authorization, complete one’s entrusted duty properly (itikṛtyatā), and proceed guided by wise counsel rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

A leading Bharata/Kuru figure, after obtaining Kṛṣṇa’s permission and finishing the necessary communication, departs carrying Kṛṣṇa’s opinion—signaling a transition where Kṛṣṇa’s counsel will shape subsequent actions.