Shloka 20
ईषदुत्स्मयमानस्तु भगवान् केशवो$रिहा । परिष्वज्य च राजानं युधिष्ठिरमभाषत,इसके बाद शत्रुओंका संहार करनेवाले भगवान् श्रीकृष्णने किंचित् मुसकराते हुए वहाँ राजा युधिष्ठिरको हृदयसे लगाकर कहा--
īṣad utsmayamānas tu bhagavān keśavo 'rihā | pariṣvajya ca rājānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram abhāṣata ||
Smiling faintly, the Blessed Keśava—destroyer of foes—embraced King Yudhiṣṭhira and then spoke to him. The gesture conveys reassurance and moral support at a moment when the king, burdened by the aftermath of war, needs steadiness and guidance toward dharma rather than despair.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Leadership after violence requires compassion and steadiness: Kṛṣṇa’s gentle smile and embrace model how to support a righteous ruler emotionally so that he can return to dharma-guided judgment rather than be overwhelmed by grief or guilt.
In the aftermath of the great conflict, Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) approaches King Yudhiṣṭhira, embraces him warmly, and begins to speak—signaling a transition from battlefield events to counsel, consolation, and the ethical processing of war’s consequences.