Shloka 98

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

Devanagari script

त्वया हतस्यापि ममाद्य कृष्ण श्रेय: परस्मिन्निह चैव लोके । सम्भावितो<स्म्यन्धकवृष्णिनाथ लोकैस्त्रिभिवीर तवाभियानात्‌,“श्रीकृष्ण! आज आपके हाथसे यदि मैं मारा जाऊँगा तो इहलोक और परलोकमें भी मेरा कल्याण होगा। अन्धक और वृष्णिकुलकी रक्षा करनेवाले वीर! आपके इस आक्रमणसे तीनों लोकोंमें मेरा गौरव बढ़ गया”

Transliteration

tvayā hatasyāpi mamādya kṛṣṇa śreyaḥ parasminniha caiva loke | sambhāvito 'smy andhakavṛṣṇinātha lokais tribhir vīra tavābhiyānāt ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O Kṛṣṇa, even if I were to be slain by you today, it would bring me welfare both in this world and in the next. O heroic lord and protector of the Andhakas and Vṛṣṇis, by your very advance against me my honor has been heightened in all the three worlds.”

Word by Word

• {'tvayā': 'by you (instrumental singular of tvam)', 'hatasya': 'of one slain

• even when slain (genitive singular of hata)', 'api': 'even, although', 'mama': 'of me, my', 'adya': 'today', 'kṛṣṇa': 'Kṛṣṇa (addressed vocatively)', 'śreyaḥ': 'welfare, highest good, blessedness', 'parasmin': 'in the other (world)

• in the next world (locative singular)', 'iha': 'here

• in this world', 'ca': 'and', 'eva': 'indeed, just, certainly', 'loke': 'in the world (locative singular)', 'sambhāvitaḥ': 'honored, esteemed, made illustrious', 'asmi': 'I am', 'andhaka-vṛṣṇi-nātha': 'lord/protector of the Andhakas and the Vṛṣṇis', 'lokaiḥ': 'by the worlds

• by people/the worlds (instrumental plural)', 'tribhiḥ': 'by three (instrumental plural)', 'vīra': 'O hero', 'tava': 'your', 'abhiyānāt': 'from (your) advance/assault

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛṣṇa
• Andhakas
• Vṛṣṇis
• three worlds (trailokya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a warrior-ethic where contact with a supremely righteous and renowned figure (Kṛṣṇa) is itself considered auspicious: even death at such hands is viewed as leading to śreyas (welfare) in both this world and the next, while also conferring honor and lasting fame.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses Kṛṣṇa directly, declaring that Kṛṣṇa’s advance against him elevates his reputation across the three worlds, and that even being slain by Kṛṣṇa would be spiritually and ethically beneficial.