Shloka 24

Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel

Devanagari script

अज्ञायमाने च मते परस्य कि स्यात्‌ समारभ्यतमं मतं व: । तस्मादितो गच्छतु धर्मशील: शुचि: कुलीन: पुरुषो5प्रमत्त:

Transliteration

ajñāyamāne ca mate parasya ki syāt samārabhyatamaṃ mataṃ vaḥ | tasmād ito gacchatu dharmaśīlaḥ śuciḥ kulīnaḥ puruṣo 'pramattaḥ ||

Translation

Kṛṣṇa dit : « Tant que l’intention de l’autre camp demeure inconnue, comment pourriez-vous arrêter une résolution vraiment digne d’être entreprise et menée jusqu’à son terme ? C’est pourquoi, selon moi, qu’un homme de dharma — pur dans sa conduite, de noble lignée et vigilant — parte d’ici comme envoyé auprès d’eux. »

Word by Word

• {'ajñāyamāne': 'when (it is) not known

• while remaining unknown', 'mate': 'in the opinion/intention

• in the resolve', 'parasya': 'of the other (party/side)', 'kim syāt': 'how could it be? what would be possible?', 'samārabhyatamam': 'most fit to be undertaken

• most actionable', 'matam': 'decision

• settled view', 'vaḥ': 'of you (plural)', 'tasmāt': 'therefore', 'itaḥ': 'from here', 'gacchatu': 'let (him) go', 'dharmaśīlaḥ': 'one whose character is grounded in dharma', 'śuciḥ': 'pure

• morally untainted', 'kulīnaḥ': 'well-born

• of noble family', 'puruṣaḥ': 'man

• person', 'apramattaḥ': 'careful

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• dūta (envoy/messenger)
• para-pakṣa (the opposing party)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sound action requires knowledge of the opponent’s intent; therefore, ethical and prudent diplomacy—sending a qualified, vigilant envoy—should precede any decisive step toward conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the opening counsel of Udyoga Parva, Krishna advises the assembly that they cannot finalize an actionable plan without understanding the opposing side’s stance, and he recommends dispatching a dharmic, pure, noble, and careful messenger to them.