Shloka 18
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 29 — Arjuna’s defeat of Vṛṣaka–Acalā and the neutralization of Śakuni’s māyā
उरसा प्रतिजग्राह पार्थ संच्छाद्य केशव:,भगदत्तका छोड़ा हुआ वह अस्त्र सबका विनाश करनेवाला था। भगवान् श्रीकृष्णने अर्जुनको ओटमें करके स्वयं ही अपनी छातीपर उसकी चोट सह ली
urasā pratijagrāha pārthaṃ saṃchādya keśavaḥ
Sañjaya dit : Keśava (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), abritant Pārtha (Arjuna), reçut le coup sur sa propre poitrine. Le projectile lancé par Bhagadatta passait pour pouvoir tout anéantir ; pourtant le Seigneur se plaça devant, acceptant le péril afin de protéger son dévot et de soutenir la cause du dharma au cœur de la guerre.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights protective devotion and self-sacrifice: Kṛṣṇa places himself before Arjuna, showing that safeguarding the righteous and one’s dependent is a higher ethical commitment than personal safety, especially when dharma is at stake.
During the battle, Bhagadatta releases a fearsome missile. Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) covers Arjuna (Pārtha) and receives the impact on his own chest, preventing harm to Arjuna.