Shloka 23

द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय ८७: सात्यकेरनुयात्रा

Sātyaki’s resolve and departure to reach Arjuna

Devanagari script

वासुदेवेन तीर्थन पुत्र संशाम्य पाण्डवै: । कालप्राप्तमहं मन्ये मा त्वं दुर्योधनातिगा:,“बेटा! भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णको साधन बनाकर पाण्डवोंके साथ संधि कर लो। मैं इसीको समयोचित कर्तव्य मानता हूँ। दुर्योधन! तुम इसे टालो मत

Transliteration

vāsudevena tīrthena putra saṁśāmya pāṇḍavaiḥ | kālaprāptam ahaṁ manye mā tvaṁ duryodhanātigāḥ ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “My son, using Vāsudeva—who is a sacred refuge—as your mediator, make peace with the Pāṇḍavas. I consider this the duty demanded by the moment. Duryodhana, do not evade it.”

Word by Word

वासुदेवेनby/with Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

तीर्थेनas a means/expedient (lit. by a ford/means)

पुत्रO son

संशाम्यhaving made peace / having reconciled

पाण्डवैःwith the Pāṇḍavas

कालप्राप्तम्timely; arrived at the proper time

अहम्I

मन्येI think / I consider

माdo not (prohibitive)

त्वम्you

दुर्योधनO Duryodhana

अतिगाःdo not pass over/neglect; do not transgress

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Pāṇḍavas

Duryodhana

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?

Timely dharma for a ruler is to restrain pride and seek reconciliation when it can prevent greater harm; accepting wise mediation (here, Kṛṣṇa as tīrtha) is presented as ethically superior to obstinate escalation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra urges his son Duryodhana to make peace with the Pāṇḍavas, specifically by taking Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) as the means of negotiation, warning him not to disregard this time-appropriate counsel.