Shloka 24

Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel

Devanagari script

अज्ञायमाने च मते परस्य कि स्यात्‌ समारभ्यतमं मतं व: । तस्मादितो गच्छतु धर्मशील: शुचि: कुलीन: पुरुषो5प्रमत्त:

Transliteration

ajñāyamāne ca mate parasya ki syāt samārabhyatamaṃ mataṃ vaḥ | tasmād ito gacchatu dharmaśīlaḥ śuciḥ kulīnaḥ puruṣo 'pramattaḥ ||

Translation

クリシュナは言った。「相手方の意向がまだ知れぬというのに、どうして真に着手すべき決議を定め、行いとして成就させ得ようか。ゆえに我が考えはこうだ。ここから彼らのもとへ、使者として一人の男を遣わすべきである。ダルマに立ち、行い清らかで、家柄高く、怠りなく警戒する者を。」

Word by Word

• {'ajñāyamāne': 'when (it is) not known

• while remaining unknown', 'mate': 'in the opinion/intention

• in the resolve', 'parasya': 'of the other (party/side)', 'kim syāt': 'how could it be? what would be possible?', 'samārabhyatamam': 'most fit to be undertaken

• most actionable', 'matam': 'decision

• settled view', 'vaḥ': 'of you (plural)', 'tasmāt': 'therefore', 'itaḥ': 'from here', 'gacchatu': 'let (him) go', 'dharmaśīlaḥ': 'one whose character is grounded in dharma', 'śuciḥ': 'pure

• morally untainted', 'kulīnaḥ': 'well-born

• of noble family', 'puruṣaḥ': 'man

• person', 'apramattaḥ': 'careful

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• dūta (envoy/messenger)
• para-pakṣa (the opposing party)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sound action requires knowledge of the opponent’s intent; therefore, ethical and prudent diplomacy—sending a qualified, vigilant envoy—should precede any decisive step toward conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the opening counsel of Udyoga Parva, Krishna advises the assembly that they cannot finalize an actionable plan without understanding the opposing side’s stance, and he recommends dispatching a dharmic, pure, noble, and careful messenger to them.