Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

निशम्य वाक्‍्यं तु जनार्दनस्य धर्मार्थयुक्त मधुरं समं च

Transliteration

niśamya vākyaṃ tu janārdanasya dharmārthayuktaṃ madhuraṃ samaṃ ca | rājan bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇasya dharma-artha-yuktaṃ madhuraṃ ubhayapakṣāya samānārūpeṇa hitakaraṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā tasya jyeṣṭhabhrātā balarāmaḥ tasya bhāṣaṇasya bhūri-bhūri praśaṃsāṃ kṛtvā svavaktavyam ārabhata ||

Translation

王よ、ジャナールダナの言葉—声は甘く、ダルマと実利にかない、しかも両陣営に等しく益するその言葉—を聞くや、主シュリー・クリシュナの兄バララーマは、その演説を幾度も幾度も称賛し、ついで自らの見解を語り始めた。

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'niśamya', 'definition': 'having heard, after listening'}, {'term': 'vākya', 'definition': 'speech, statement, utterance'}, {'term': 'janārdana', 'definition': 'Janārdana (epithet of Kṛṣṇa

• ‘remover of afflictions/foes’)'}, {'term': 'dharma', 'definition': 'righteous duty, moral order, rightful conduct'}, {'term': 'artha', 'definition': 'practical welfare, purpose, polity/advantage'}, {'term': 'dharmārthayukta', 'definition': 'aligned with dharma and artha

• ethically sound and practically wise'}, {'term': 'madhura', 'definition': 'sweet, gentle, pleasing (in expression)'}, {'term': 'sama', 'definition': 'even, impartial, balanced'}, {'term': 'rājan', 'definition': 'O King (address)'}, {'term': 'bhagavān', 'definition': 'the Blessed Lord

• venerable divine person'}, {'term': 'śrīkṛṣṇa', 'definition': 'Śrī Kṛṣṇa'}, {'term': 'ubhayapakṣa', 'definition': 'both parties/sides'}, {'term': 'hitakara', 'definition': 'beneficial, conducive to welfare'}, {'term': 'jyeṣṭhabhrātā', 'definition': 'elder brother'}, {'term': 'balarāma', 'definition': 'Balarāma (elder brother of Kṛṣṇa)'}, {'term': 'bhāṣaṇa', 'definition': 'speech, discourse'}, {'term': 'bhūri-bhūri', 'definition': 'again and again

• abundantly'}, {'term': 'praśaṃsā', 'definition': 'praise, commendation'}, {'term': 'ārabhata', 'definition': 'began, commenced'}]

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Balarāma
• Rājan (the King addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Speech meant to avert conflict should be ethically grounded (dharma), practically wise (artha), gentle in expression (madhura), and impartial (sama), aiming at the welfare of all parties rather than partisan victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Kṛṣṇa delivers a balanced and beneficial counsel, Balarāma—his elder brother—responds by repeatedly praising that discourse and then begins to present his own statement, marking a transition to Balarāma’s viewpoint in the dialogue.