Shloka 13

उलूकदूतवाक्यम् / Ulūka’s Message to the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

स समासाद्य वार्ष्णेयं योगानामीश्ररं प्रभुम्‌

Transliteration

sa samāsādya vārṣṇeyaṃ yogānām īśvaraṃ prabhum

Translation

Il s’approcha de Vārṣṇeya—Kṛṣṇa, le Seigneur souverain, maître de toutes les disciplines du yoga—et se tint en sa présence.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समासाद्य: having approached / having reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वान्त/अव्यय-भाव), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाले (having done)

• वार्ष्णेयम्: the Vārṣṇeya (Krishna, descendant of Vṛṣṇi)
• वार्ष्णेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ष्णेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• योगानाम्: of yogas / of disciplines (of yoga)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ईश्वरम्: the lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रभुम्: the master / sovereign
• प्रभुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vārṣṇeya (Krishna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical impulse to seek guidance from a higher, steadier authority—here Krishna—especially when decisions carry grave consequences. It presents Krishna as both spiritual master (īśvara of yoga) and rightful guide (prabhu), implying that right action is strengthened by disciplined insight and devotion.

What is happening in the narrative?

A figure (implied by context) goes to Krishna, described as Vārṣṇeya and as the lord of yogic power, to consult or take refuge. The narration by Vaiśampāyana marks a transition into counsel-seeking and strategic-moral deliberation in the lead-up to conflict.