Shloka 27

Devanagari script

वासुदेवो5पि धर्मात्मा करिष्यत्यात्मन: क्षमम्‌ | श्रेयो हपदिशत्येष लोकस्य किमुतात्मन:,“धर्मात्मा भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्ण भी अपने लिये जो उचित समझेंगे, करेंगे। ये सारे जगत्‌को कल्याणका उपदेश देते हैं, फिर अपना भला क्‍यों नहीं करेंगे?

Transliteration

vāsudevo 'pi dharmātmā kariṣyaty ātmanaḥ kṣamam | śreyo hy upadiśaty eṣa lokasya kim utātmanaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Vāsudeva aussi est juste au fond du cœur ; il fera ce qui convient pour lui-même. Il enseigne au monde entier ce qui est véritablement salutaire — comment donc ne veillerait-il pas aussi à son propre bien ?»

Word by Word

वासुदेवःVasudeva (Krishna)

अपिalso/even

धर्मात्माrighteous-souled (one whose self is dharma)

करिष्यतिwill do

आत्मनःof himself/for himself

क्षमम्proper/fit/appropriate

श्रेयःthe good/welfare

उपदिशतिteaches/instructs

एषःthis (person)

लोकस्यof the world/people

किम्what

उतthen/indeed (emphatic)

आत्मनःof himself/for himself

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Vāsudeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A true teacher of dharma who guides others toward śreyas (the highest good) is presumed to act with the same discernment for himself; moral authority is grounded in inner righteousness and practical wisdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reassures the listener about Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva): since he is dharmātmā and a guide to the world’s welfare, he will certainly choose and do what is appropriate for his own situation as well.