Shloka 17
Yudhiṣṭhira–Droṇa Saṃgrāma
Engagement and Countermeasures
शोकस्थानं तु तच्छुत्वा पार्थस्य द्विजकेतन: । संस्पृश्याम्भस्तत: कृष्ण: प्राढमुख: समवस्थित:,अर्जुके शोकका आधार क्या है, यह सुनकर महातेजस्वी विद्वान् गरुड़ध्वज कमलनयन भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण आचमन करके पूर्वाभिमुख होकर बैठे और पाण्बुपुत्र अर्जुनके हित तथा सिंधुराज जयद्रथके वधके लिये इस प्रकार बोले--
śokasthānaṃ tu tac chrutvā pārthasya dvijaketanaḥ | saṃspṛśyāmbhas tataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ prāṅmukhaḥ samavasthitaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Mendengar sebab dukacita Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa—yang panjinya bergambar Garuḍa, bermata laksana teratai—melakukan ācaman (menyentuh air untuk penyucian) lalu duduk menghadap timur. Demi kesejahteraan putra Pāṇḍu itu dan dengan tekad menumbangkan Jayadratha, raja Sindhu, ia pun bersiap mengucapkan kata-kata yang semestinya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid war and crisis, Kṛṣṇa models composed, dharma-aligned action: he acknowledges grief, performs a purificatory act (ācamana), and then speaks with a clear ethical aim—protecting Arjuna and upholding the pledged course that leads to Jayadratha’s punishment.
Sañjaya narrates that Kṛṣṇa, after hearing why Arjuna is overwhelmed with sorrow, ritually sips/touches water and sits facing east, ready to counsel Arjuna—specifically with Arjuna’s welfare and the impending killing of Jayadratha in view.