Shloka 21

Devanagari script

साधु सम्पश्य वार्ष्णेय शाल्वं सौभपतिं स्थितम्‌ । अलं कृष्णावमन्यैनं साधु यत्नं समाचर,4वार्ष्णेय! वह देखिये, सौभराज शाल्व वहाँ खड़ा है। श्रीकृष्ण! इसकी उपेक्षा करनेसे कोई लाभ नहीं। इसके वधका कोई उचित उपाय कीजिये

Transliteration

sādhu sampaśya vārṣṇeya śālvaṃ saubhapatiṃ sthitam | alaṃ kṛṣṇāvamanyainaṃ sādhu yatnaṃ samācara ||

Translation

Wahai Vārṣṇeya, pandanglah baik-baik—Śālva, penguasa Saubha, berdiri di sana. Jangan meremehkannya, wahai Kṛṣṇa; mengabaikannya takkan membawa hasil. Lakukan upaya yang tepat dengan kewaspadaan—susunlah cara yang semestinya.

Word by Word

साधुwell; rightly; indeed

सम्पश्यlook; behold

वार्ष्णेयO descendant of Vृष्णि (Krishna)

शाल्वम्Śālva

सौभपतिम्lord of Saubha

स्थितम्standing; stationed

अलम्enough; no use (in doing so)

कृष्णO Krishna

अवमन्यhaving disregarded; having slighted

एनम्him; this one

साधुproperly; well

यत्नम्effort; means; endeavor

समाचरundertake; practice; do

वार्ष्णेयO Vārṣṇeya

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva

Kṛṣṇa

Vārṣṇeya (epithet of Kṛṣṇa)

Śālva

Saubha (Śālva's realm/city)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a powerful leader should not underestimate a capable adversary; ethical and effective action requires clear perception, strategic effort, and choosing an appropriate means rather than relying on contempt or complacency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Kṛṣṇa, pointing out that Śālva, the ruler of Saubha, is present and formidable, and urges Kṛṣṇa to stop dismissing him and instead adopt a proper, deliberate plan to deal with him.