Shloka 22
Kṛṣṇopadeśa and Duryodhana’s Challenge
Droṇa-parva, Adhyāya 77
यथा लक्ष्म स्थिरं चन्द्रे समुद्रे च यथा जलम् । एवमेतां प्रतिज्ञां मे सत्यां विद्धि जनार्दन,जनार्दन! जैसे चन्द्रमामें काला चिह्न स्थिर है, जैसे समुद्रमें जलकी सत्ता सुनिश्चित है, उसी प्रकार आप मेरी इस प्रतिज्ञाको भी सत्य समझें
yathā lakṣma sthiraṃ candre samudre ca yathā jalam | evam etāṃ pratijñāṃ me satyāṃ viddhi janārdana ||
Arjuna said: “Just as the dark mark on the moon remains fixed, and just as water is inseparably established in the ocean, so too know my vow to be true and unwavering, O Janārdana.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights satya (truthfulness) and steadfastness in a solemn vow: a warrior’s pledge, once made, must be held as firm and dependable as natural certainties (the moon’s mark, water in the ocean). It also shows Arjuna grounding his resolve before Kṛṣṇa, seeking acknowledgment and moral anchoring for action in war.
In the midst of the Drona Parva’s intense battle setting, Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) and asserts that his declared pratijñā (vow) is unshakeable. By using vivid, universally recognized comparisons, he signals that he will pursue the vow’s fulfillment without wavering, reinforcing the seriousness of his intent within the unfolding conflict.