Shloka 543
कृष्णस्य च तथास्मत्तो मित्रमन्यन्न विद्यते । “माननीय पुरुषसिंह! अन्धक और वृष्णिवंशके यादवों तथा पांचालोंसे बढ़कर दूसरा कोई हमलोगोंका मित्र नहीं है। इसी प्रकार अन्धक और वृष्णिवंशके लोगोंका तथा विशेषत: श्रीकृष्णका हमलोगोंसे बढ़कर दूसरा कोई मित्र नहीं है
sañjaya uvāca | kṛṣṇasya ca tathāsmatto mitram anyan na vidyate | mānanīya puruṣasiṃha! andhaka-vṛṣṇivaṃśa-ke yādavānāṃ tathā pāñcālānāṃ ca baddhataro 'smākaṃ mitro nāsti | tathā andhaka-vṛṣṇivaṃśa-janasya viśeṣataḥ śrīkṛṣṇasya ca asmābhiḥ paraṃ mitram anyan na vidyate |
“Bagi Kresna, dan demikian pula bagi kami, tiada sahabat lain melampaui ikatan ini. Wahai singa di antara manusia yang patut dimuliakan! Bagi kami tiada kawan lebih besar daripada para Yadawa dari garis Andhaka dan Wresni serta bangsa Pancala; dan demikian pula bagi Andhaka dan Wresni—terutama bagi Sri Kresna—tiada sahabat yang lebih besar daripada kami.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic friendship as mutual fidelity: true alliance is not transactional but grounded in steadfast support and reciprocal trust, especially during crisis.
Sañjaya emphasizes to the addressed listener (a ‘lion among men’) that Kṛṣṇa and the Yādava clans (Andhakas and Vṛṣṇis), along with the Pāñcālas, stand in an unmatched bond of friendship with ‘us,’ underscoring the political-moral strength of their coalition amid the war context.