Shloka 29
Jarāsandha-nipātana, rāja-mokṣa, and rājasūya-sāhāyya-prārthanā
Jarāsandha’s fall, liberation of kings, and request for support
देवतार्थमुपाहृत्य राज्ञ: कृष्ण कथं भयात् । अहमगद्य विमुच्येयं क्षात्रं व्रतमनुस्मरन्,श्रीकृष्ण! मैं क्षत्रियके व्रतकों सदा याद रखता हुआ देवताको बलि देनेके लिये उपहारके रूपमें लाये हुए इन राजाओंको आज तुम्हारे भयसे कैसे छोड़ सकता हूँ?
devatārtham upāhṛtya rājñaḥ kṛṣṇa kathaṃ bhayāt | aham agādya vimucyeyaṃ kṣātraṃ vratam anusmaran ||
Jarasandha berkata: “Wahai Kṛṣṇa! Raja-raja ini telah kubawa sebagai persembahan untuk para dewa; sambil mengingat sumpah ksatria, bagaimana mungkin hari ini aku melepaskan mereka karena takut kepadamu?”
जरासंध उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral conflict between fear and vowed duty: Jarāsandha claims that a kṣatriya must uphold his pledged course of action and not abandon it merely due to intimidation, even when that action is ethically troubling.
Jarāsandha responds to Kṛṣṇa regarding the imprisoned kings he has gathered as intended offerings for the gods; he argues that releasing them out of fear of Kṛṣṇa would violate his kṣatriya vow and warrior code.