Shloka 203

ध्वजवर्णनम् | Dhvaja-varṇanam

Description of War Standards

Devanagari script

स्मृत्वा प्रतिज्ञां पार्थस्य दारुक॑ प्रत्यभाषत । भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्ण उस रात्रिके मध्यकालमें जाग उठे और अर्जुनकी प्रतिज्ञाको स्मरण करके दारुकसे बोले--

Transliteration

smṛtvā pratijñāṃ pārthasya dāruka pratyabhāṣata | bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇaḥ sā rātri-madhyakāle jāga uṭhe ca arjunasya pratijñāṃ smaraṇ kṛtvā dārukaṃ uvāca ||

Translation

ສັນຊະຍະກ່າວວ່າ: ໃນກາງຄືນ ພຣະຜູ້ເປັນເຈົ້າ ສຣີກຣິດສະນາ ຕື່ນຂຶ້ນ. ພຣະອົງລະລຶກເຖິງຄຳປະຕິຍານອັນສັກສິດຂອງອາຣຊຸນ ແລ້ວຕັດກັບດາຣຸກ—ຊີ້ໃຫ້ເຫັນວ່າ ຄຳສັນຍາຂອງນັກຮົບ ເມື່ອໃຫ້ແລ້ວ ຕ້ອງຖືກປົກປ້ອງດ້ວຍຄວາມຕື່ນຕົວ ແມ່ນແຕ່ທ່າມກາງຄວາມເມື່ອຍລ້າ ແລະ ພະຍຸໄພ.

Word by Word

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• प्रतिज्ञाम्: the vow/promise
• प्रतिज्ञाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पार्थस्य: of Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दारुकम्: Daruka (Krishna’s charioteer)
• दारुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रत्यभाषत: spoke to / addressed
• प्रत्यभाषत: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (धातु) + प्रति (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, Third, Singular, Past

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Bhagavān)
• Dāruka
• Arjuna’s vow (pratijñā)
• midnight (rātri-madhyakāla)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A vow (pratijñā) in the Mahābhārata is treated as a moral bond: once undertaken, it demands alertness, planning, and steadfast effort. Kṛṣṇa’s midnight awakening underscores responsible leadership—supporting a righteous commitment and ensuring that duty is not abandoned due to fatigue or fear.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Kṛṣṇa wakes in the middle of the night and, remembering Arjuna’s pledge, speaks to Dāruka. The scene sets up urgent action and counsel, showing Kṛṣṇa’s vigilance and his role in helping Arjuna fulfill his declared resolve in the ongoing war.