Shloka 22

Devanagari script

कि तु नाल्‍पेन कार्येण प्रबोध्यो मधुसूदन: । तेजस: सुमहाराशि: प्रबुद्धः प्रदेज्जगत्‌,'परंतु किसी छोटे कार्यके लिये भगवान्‌ मधुसूदनको सूचना देनी उचित नहीं जान पड़ती। वे तेजके महान्‌ राशि हैं; यदि प्रज्वलित हों तो सम्पूर्ण जगत्‌को भस्म कर सकते हैं

Transliteration

ki tu nālpena kāryeṇa prabodhyo madhusūdanaḥ | tejasaḥ sumahārāśiḥ prabuddhaḥ pradej jagat ||

Translation

But it does not seem proper to rouse Madhusūdana for some trifling task. He is a vast mass of fiery power; once fully awakened, he could blaze forth and consume the entire world. The remark underscores the ethical need for restraint: do not invoke overwhelming force for minor ends, for power without proportionate cause can become catastrophic.

Word by Word

किंbut/indeed (emphatic particle here)

तुbut, however

नnot

अल्पेनby/with a small (thing)

कार्येणby/for a task, affair

प्रबोध्यःto be awakened/roused

मधुसूदनःMadhusūdana (Krishna), slayer of Madhu

तेजसःof splendor/energy

सुvery, exceedingly

महाgreat

राशिःmass, heap, store

प्रबुद्धःawakened, roused

प्रदहेत्would burn up, might consume

जगत्the world

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

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?

Immense power should be invoked only with proportionate cause and clear necessity. The verse cautions against summoning or provoking overwhelming force for minor objectives, emphasizing ethical restraint and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana comments that it is inappropriate to rouse Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa) for a small matter, portraying him as an immense store of tejas whose full arousal could engulf the world—highlighting the gravity of involving such a figure in any action.