Shloka 41

Adhyāya 113: Karṇa–Bhīma Śaravarṣa and the Battlefield Aftermath (कर्णभीमशरवर्षः)

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिर बोले--महाबाहु माधव! तुम जैसा कहते हो, वही ठीक है। आर्य! श्वेतवाहन द्रोणाचार्यकी ओरसे मेरा हृदय शुद्ध (निश्चिन्त) नहीं हो रहा है ।। करिष्ये परमं यत्नमात्मनो रक्षणे हाहम्‌ | गच्छ त्वं समनुज्ञातो यत्र यातो धनंजय:,मैं अपनी रक्षाके लिये महान्‌ प्रयत्न करूँगा। तुम मेरी आज्ञासे वहीं जाओ, जहाँ अर्जुन गया है

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—mahābāhu mādhava! tvaṃ yathā vadasi tathaiva tat. ārya! śvetavāhana-droṇācārya-kṛte mama hṛdayaṃ na śuddhaṃ (niśchintaṃ) bhavati. kariṣye paramaṃ yatnam ātmano rakṣaṇe hāham | gaccha tvaṃ samanugñāto yatra yāto dhanaṃjayaḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Mighty-armed Mādhava, what you say is indeed right. Yet, noble one, my heart does not become clear or free from anxiety on account of Droṇa, the white-charioted teacher. I will exert the utmost effort for my own protection. Go now with my permission to the place where Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) has gone.”

Word by Word

• {'yudhiṣṭhira uvāca': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said', 'mahābāhu': 'mighty-armed

• a heroic epithet', 'mādhava': 'Kṛṣṇa

• descendant of Madhu', 'yathā ... tathā': 'as ... so

• exactly as stated', 'ārya': 'noble one

• honorable person', 'śvetavāhana': 'having a white vehicle/chariot

• epithet (here of Droṇa)', 'droṇācārya': 'Droṇa, the preceptor/teacher', 'kṛte': 'because of

• on account of', 'hṛdayam': 'heart

• inner mind', 'na śuddham': 'not purified/clear

• not settled', 'niśchintam': 'free from worry

• untroubled', 'kariṣye': 'I shall do

• I will undertake', 'paramam yatnam': 'the highest/utmost effort', 'ātmano rakṣaṇe': 'for the protection of myself', 'hā aham': 'alas, I

• an exclamation of distress', 'gaccha': 'go', 'samanugñātaḥ': 'permitted/authorized (by me)', 'yatra': 'where', 'yātaḥ': 'has gone', 'dhanaṃjayaḥ': 'Arjuna

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when counsel is sound, a leader must acknowledge inner uncertainty and respond with responsible action—here, Yudhiṣṭhira admits his unease about Droṇa and commits to maximum self-protection while coordinating with allies through Kṛṣṇa.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of the Droṇa-led battle, Yudhiṣṭhira speaks to Kṛṣṇa: he accepts Kṛṣṇa’s advice but remains worried about Droṇa’s threat, resolves to guard himself carefully, and authorizes Kṛṣṇa to go to the location where Arjuna has proceeded.