Shloka 20
Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)
Devanagari script
वासुदेववच: श्रुत्वा सीरभृत् प्राह धर्मवित्
Transliteration
vāsudevavacaḥ śrutvā sīrabhṛt prāha dharmavit
Translation
ವಾಸುದೇವನ ವಚನವನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ, ಸೀರಭೃತ್ ಧರ್ಮವಿತ್ ಬಲರಾಮನು ಆಗ ಉತ್ತರಿಸಿದನು—ಯುದ್ಧ ಮತ್ತು ಉಪದೇಶಗಳ ಒತ್ತಡದಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಧರ್ಮವಿಚಕ್ಷಣತೆಯಿಂದ.
Word by Word
वासुदेववचःthe words of Vāsudeva
वासुदेववचः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवासुदेव-वचस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)
सीरभृत्the plough-bearer (Balarāma)
सीरभृत्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसीर-भृत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्राहsaid/spoke
प्राह:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-आह् (अह्/ब्रू sense)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
धर्मवित्knower of dharma
धर्मवित्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootधर्म-वित्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaV
Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)S
Sīrabhṛt (Balarāma)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma-guided response: after receiving counsel (Vāsudeva’s words), a dharma-knower speaks, implying that right action in conflict begins with attentive listening and morally informed judgment.
Sañjaya narrates that Balarāma (the plough-bearer) hears Kṛṣṇa’s statement and then speaks, marking a transition from Kṛṣṇa’s counsel to Balarāma’s dharmic reply within the Shalya Parva war context.