Shloka 203
ध्वजवर्णनम् | Dhvaja-varṇanam
Description of War Standards
स्मृत्वा प्रतिज्ञां पार्थस्य दारुक॑ प्रत्यभाषत । भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण उस रात्रिके मध्यकालमें जाग उठे और अर्जुनकी प्रतिज्ञाको स्मरण करके दारुकसे बोले--
smṛtvā pratijñāṃ pārthasya dāruka pratyabhāṣata | bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇaḥ sā rātri-madhyakāle jāga uṭhe ca arjunasya pratijñāṃ smaraṇ kṛtvā dārukaṃ uvāca ||
Sañjaya said: Recalling Arjuna’s solemn vow, Dāruka spoke in response. In the middle of that night, the Blessed Śrī Kṛṣṇa awoke; and, remembering Arjuna’s pledge, he addressed Dāruka—signaling that a warrior’s promise, once given, must be guarded with vigilant resolve even amid exhaustion and peril.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
A vow (pratijñā) in the Mahābhārata is treated as a moral bond: once undertaken, it demands alertness, planning, and steadfast effort. Kṛṣṇa’s midnight awakening underscores responsible leadership—supporting a righteous commitment and ensuring that duty is not abandoned due to fatigue or fear.
Sañjaya narrates that Kṛṣṇa wakes in the middle of the night and, remembering Arjuna’s pledge, speaks to Dāruka. The scene sets up urgent action and counsel, showing Kṛṣṇa’s vigilance and his role in helping Arjuna fulfill his declared resolve in the ongoing war.