Shloka 1

Daiva–Puruṣakāra Saṃvāda

Kṛpa’s Counsel on Destiny and Human Effort

Devanagari script

/ द्वितीयो5 ध्याय: कृपाचार्यका अश्वत्थामाको दैवकी प्रबलता बताते कर्तव्यके विषयमें सत्पुरुषोंसे सलाह लेनेकी प्रेरणा कृप उवाच श्रुतं ते वचनं सर्व यद्‌ यदुक्त त्वया विभो । ममापि तु वच: किंचिच्छृणुष्वाद्य महाभुज,तब कृपाचार्यने कहा--शक्तिशाली महाबाहो! तुमने जो-जो बात कही है, वह सब मैंने सुन ली। अब कुछ मेरी भी बात सुनो

Transliteration

kṛpa uvāca | śrutaṃ te vacanaṃ sarvaṃ yad yad uktaṃ tvayā vibho | mamāpi tu vacaḥ kiñcic chṛṇuṣvādya mahābhuja ||

Translation

Kripa said: “Mighty one, I have heard in full whatever you have said. Now, O strong-armed hero, listen today to a few words from me as well.”

Word by Word

• {'kṛpa uvāca': 'Kripa said', 'śrutam': 'heard

• listened to', 'te': 'your

• by you (to you)', 'vacanam': 'speech

• counsel', 'sarvam': 'entirely

• all', 'yad yad': 'whatever

• each and every thing that', 'uktam': 'said

• spoken', 'tvayā': 'by you', 'vibho': 'O mighty one

• O powerful lord (vocative)', 'mamāpi': 'mine also

• of me too', 'tu': 'but

• indeed (emphasis/contrast)', 'vacaḥ': 'words

• speech', 'kiñcit': 'a little

• some', 'śṛṇuṣva': 'listen (imperative, 2nd person singular)', 'adya': 'today

• now', 'mahābhuja': 'O strong-armed one (vocative, epithet of a warrior)'}

Speaker

कृप उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kṛpa
• Aśvatthāman (implied addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models ethical deliberation: before acting—especially in a tense wartime context—one should listen fully to others and then invite further counsel, showing restraint, humility, and respect for wise advice.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Sauptika Parva, Kripa responds to the warrior he is addressing (commonly understood as Aśvatthāman). He says he has heard everything already spoken and now asks for attention so he may offer his own counsel.