Shloka 142
Kroṣṭu–Yādava Lineages, the Syamantaka Jewel, Krishna’s Birth Context, and the Māyāmoha Account
ये वै दुष्टास्तु राजानस्तांस्तु सर्वान्हनिष्यति । कौरवाणां रणे भूते सर्वक्षत्रसमागमे
ye vai duṣṭāstu rājānastāṃstu sarvānhaniṣyati | kauravāṇāṃ raṇe bhūte sarvakṣatrasamāgame
જે દુષ્ટ રાજાઓ છે, તેમને તે સર્વને સંહારશે; કૌરવોનું યુદ્ધ થતાં, સર્વ ક્ષત્રિયોના મહાસમાગમવાળા રણમાં।
Unspecified (context-dependent narration within Adhyaya 13; likely part of a dialogue tradition such as Pulastya speaking to Bhīṣma in the Padma Purana frame)
Concept: When adharma consolidates among rulers, divine will manifests through epochal conflict to remove wicked kings and restore order.
Application: Stand against systemic wrongdoing; align courage with ethics, not vengeance—justice must serve restoration, not ego.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A prophetic battlefield panorama: ranks of armored kings and chariots converge like storm clouds, banners snapping, dust rising, as an unseen divine certainty moves through the scene. The focus is not gore but inevitability—wicked rulers marked by shadowy auras, while a central luminous presence hints that the Lord’s purpose is the restoration of dharma.","primary_figures":["(prophetic) Kṛṣṇa as divine strategist (suggested)","Kauravas and allied kings (symbolic)","warrior clans (kṣatra-gaṇa)"],"setting":"Kurukṣetra plain with chariots, standards, conch shells, and distant sacred field markers","lighting_mood":"storm-lit dramatic","color_palette":["dusty ochre","steel gray","banner crimson","electric indigo","aura-gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kurukṣetra battlefield with Kṛṣṇa as a luminous focal point (even if subtle), gold leaf highlighting divine inevitability; richly patterned banners, ornate chariots, jewel-like armor accents, dramatic composition framed by traditional borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: panoramic battle assembly with refined detail—chariots, horses, and standards; cool storm palette with delicate linework; Kṛṣṇa’s presence suggested by a soft golden aura near the center, emphasizing destiny over violence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold, rhythmic ranks of warriors and chariots; stylized clouds and dust; saturated reds/yellows/greens with black outlines; central divine motif (chakra or aura) indicating the Lord’s dharma-restoring force.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic Kurukṣetra rendered with ornate borders; central chakra/lotus medallion representing divine will, surrounding vignettes of assembled kings and banners; deep blues and gold with intricate floral filigree to spiritualize the war theme."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","war drums","thunder","chanting of warriors","sudden silences between lines"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दुष्टास्तु = दुष्टाः + तु; राजानस्तांस्तु = राजानः + तान् + तु; सर्वान्हनिष्यति = सर्वान् + हनिष्यति; (raṇe bhūte) functions as locative absolute ‘when battle has arisen’.
FAQs
It alludes to the Kauravas’ battle and a mass gathering of kṣatriyas, echoing Mahābhārata motifs, but the verse itself is a brief Purāṇic reference rather than a detailed war narrative.
The verse frames the downfall of corrupt rulers as a consequence of adharma, implying that power without righteousness leads to destruction, especially when society reaches a decisive confrontation.
It suggests a great mustering of warrior lineages—an all-kṣatriya convergence—highlighting the scale of conflict and the widespread participation of ruling and martial classes.