Shloka 5

Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच उपप्लव्ये निविष्टेषु पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु । प्रेषितो धृतराष्ट्रस्य समीप॑ मधुसूदन:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | upaplavyе niviṣṭeṣu pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu | preṣito dhṛtarāṣṭrasya samīpaṃ madhusūdanaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: When the great-souled Pāṇḍavas had taken up residence at Upaplavya, Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa) was dispatched to the presence of Dhṛtarāṣṭra—an act of diplomacy meant to seek a righteous settlement and avert the ruin that follows obstinate injustice.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaishampayana

उवाचsaid

उपप्लव्येin Upaplavya (place-name)

निविष्टेषुhaving taken their seats / having settled

पाण्डवेषुamong the Pandavas

महात्मसुgreat-souled

प्रेषितःsent / dispatched

धृतराष्ट्रस्यof Dhritarashtra

समीपम्near / to the presence

मधुसूदनःMadhusudana (Krishna, slayer of Madhu)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Upaplavya

Pāṇḍavas

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)

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?

Even on the brink of conflict, dharma favors exhausting peaceful, principled negotiation. Sending Kṛṣṇa underscores the ethical duty of rulers to seek reconciliation and prevent needless destruction caused by pride and injustice.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Pāṇḍavas are residing at Upaplavya. At this point, Kṛṣṇa (Madhusūdana) is sent to Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s court, indicating a formal diplomatic approach before events move further toward war.