Shloka 58
Kṛṣṇa’s Departure, Auspicious Omens, and the Opening of the Uttaṅka Dialogue (कृष्णप्रयाण-निमित्त-उत्तङ्कसंवाद-प्रारम्भः)
ततो ययौ शत्रुगणप्रमर्दनः शिनिप्रवीरानुगतो जनार्दन: । यथा निहत्यारिगणं शतक्रतु- दिव॑ तथा5<नर्त पुरी प्रतापवान्,तत्पश्चात् शिनिवीर सात्यकिको साथ लिये शत्रुदलमर्दन प्रतापी श्रीकृष्ण आनर्तपुरी द्वारकाकी ओर उसी प्रकार चल दिये, जैसे प्रतापी इन्द्र अपने शत्रुसमुदायका संहार करके स्वर्गमें जा रहे हों
tato yayau śatrugaṇapramardanaḥ śinipravīrānugato janārdanaḥ | yathā nihatya arigaṇaṃ śatakratuḥ divaṃ tathā anarta-purīṃ pratāpavān ||
Then Janārdana (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), the crusher of hostile hosts, set out accompanied by the foremost heroes of the Śini line. He proceeded toward Anarta’s city (Dvārakā) with radiant prowess—just as Śatakratu (Indra), having slain the ranks of his foes, goes up to heaven. The verse frames Kṛṣṇa’s return not as mere travel, but as the dignified completion of a righteous task after the subduing of adversaries.
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal of completing a difficult, conflict-laden duty and then returning with restraint and dignity. By likening Kṛṣṇa’s departure to Indra’s ascent after victory, it suggests that power is justified when used to subdue unrighteous opposition and then laid down without further aggression.
Yudhiṣṭhira describes Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana), accompanied by the leading Śini warriors (including Sātyaki as implied by the traditional context), departing for Anarta’s city—Dvārakā—after crushing enemy forces, in a manner compared to Indra returning to heaven after defeating his foes.