Shloka 8
Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)
बलदेवो महाराज ततो वचनमत्रवीत् | न चैष पतित: कृष्ण केवलं मत्समो5सम:
baladevo mahārāja tato vacanam atravīt | na caiṣa patitaḥ kṛṣṇa kevalaṃ matsamo ’samaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “O King, then Baladeva spoke these words: ‘Kṛṣṇa has not fallen into wrongdoing; he is simply my equal—indeed, without equal.’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames ethical evaluation in terms of dharma and reputation: Baladeva rejects the charge of moral ‘fall’ against Kṛṣṇa, asserting his unimpaired stature and exceptional worth. It highlights how leaders defend righteousness and uphold the honor of those they deem aligned with dharma.
Sañjaya reports to the king that Baladeva speaks up in response to a situation where Kṛṣṇa’s conduct is being questioned. Baladeva declares that Kṛṣṇa has not lapsed into wrongdoing and emphasizes his extraordinary standing—equal to Baladeva and, in another sense, beyond comparison.