Shloka 21

शल्यस्य सेनापत्याभ्युपगमः | Śalya’s Acceptance of Command

Devanagari script

कृष्णाया: प्रेष्यवद्‌ भूत्वा शुश्रूषां कुरुते सदा । इति सर्व समुन्नद्धं न निरवाति कथठ्चन

Transliteration

kṛṣṇāyāḥ preṣyavad bhūtvā śuśrūṣāṃ kurute sadā | iti sarva-samunnaddhaṃ na niravāti kathaṃcana ||

Translation

संजय बोले—वह कृष्णा (द्रौपदी) का दास-सा बनकर सदा उसकी सेवा-शुश्रूषा करता रहता है। इस प्रकार सब कुछ पूर्णतः सज-धजकर चल पड़ा है, फिर भी वह कभी ढील नहीं देता, न किसी समय विमुख होता है।

Word by Word

कृष्णायाःof Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)

प्रेष्यवत्like a servant

भूत्वाhaving become

शुश्रूषाम्service, attendance

कुरुतेdoes, performs

सदाalways

इतिthus

सर्वम्all (this), entirely

समुन्नद्धम्fully bound/fastened; firmly resolved (contextual)

नnot

निरवातिblows out/dispels (i.e., does not subside/does not get extinguished)

कथञ्चनin any way, at all

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic humility and steadfast duty: even when affairs are fully underway, one should not relax in attentive service and responsibility—especially toward those to whom one owes care and honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a person (implied by context) behaves like an attendant to Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī), constantly serving her; despite everything being fully prepared, he does not cease or slacken in that service.