Shloka 87

Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava

Devanagari script

निहत्य सर्वान्‌ धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रां- स्तत्पक्षिणो ये च नरेन्द्रमुख्या: । राज्येन राजानमजातश््रुं सम्पादयिष्याम्यहमद्य हृष्ट:

Transliteration

nihātya sarvān dhṛtarāṣṭraputrān tatpakṣiṇo ye ca narendramukhyāḥ | rājyena rājānam ajātaśatruṃ sampādayiṣyāmy aham adya hṛṣṭaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Having slain all the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and those foremost kings who stand on their side, I shall today—rejoicing—secure the kingdom for King Ajātaśatru.”

Word by Word

निहत्यhaving slain

सर्वान्all

धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रान्the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra

तत्पक्षिणःthose on their side (their partisans)

येwho

चand

नरेन्द्रमुख्याःchief kings (foremost among rulers)

राज्येनwith the kingdom / by means of sovereignty

राजानम्the king

अजातशत्रुम्Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira; 'one whose enemy is not born')

सम्पादयिष्यामिI shall make (him) attain / I shall establish

अहम्I

अद्यtoday

हृष्टःdelighted, exultant

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Dhṛtarāṣṭraputrāḥ (Kauravas)

Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira)

narendra-mukhyāḥ (leading kings/allies)

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?

The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: political order and rightful kingship are envisioned as being restored through violent victory. It implicitly raises the Mahābhārata’s recurring question—whether dharma can be established by adharma-like means, and what moral cost accompanies the pursuit of sovereignty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a triumphant intention: after killing Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons and their allied kings, the speaker expects to secure the kingdom for Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira) that very day, expressing exultation at the prospect of decisive victory.