Shloka 21

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry and Sañjaya’s Etymologies of Kṛṣṇa’s Names

Puruṣottama-nāma-nirvacana

Devanagari script

अप्राप्य: केशवो राजन्निन्द्रियेरजितैर्नभि: । आगमाधिगमाद्‌ू योगाद्‌ वशी तत्त्वे प्रसीदति

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | aprāpyaḥ keśavo rājan indriyaiḥ ajitaiḥ nṛbhiḥ | āgamādhigamād yogād vaśī tattve prasīdati rājan ||

Translation

ສັນຈະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພະຣາຊາ, ຄົນທີ່ຍັງບໍ່ໄດ້ຊະນະອິນຊີຂອງຕົນ ບໍ່ອາດເຂົ້າເຖິງ ເກສະວະ (ພຣະກຣິດສະນະ) ໄດ້. ແຕ່ຜູ້ໃດທີ່ດ້ວຍຄວາມເຂົ້າໃຈຄຳພີ ແລະ ວິໄນແຫ່ງໂຍຄະ ໄດ້ນຳໃຈແລະອິນຊີໃຫ້ຢູ່ໃນອຳນາດ—ຜູ້ຄອບຄຸມຕົນນັ້ນ ບັນລຸປັນຍາແຫ່ງຕັດຕະວະ ແລະ ພັກຢູ່ໃນຄວາມແຈ້ງໃສພາຍໃນ ແລະ ຄວາມພໍໃຈສະຫງົບ»។

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sañjaya said', 'aprāpyaḥ': 'unattainable

• not to be reached', 'keśavaḥ': 'Keśava (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)', 'rājan': 'O King (address to Dhṛtarāṣṭra)', 'indriyaiḥ': 'by/with the senses', 'ajitaiḥ': 'unconquered

• uncontrolled', 'nṛbhiḥ': 'by men

• by human beings', 'āgama': 'scripture

• authoritative tradition', 'adhigama': 'attainment/realization

• acquired understanding', 'yoga': 'yogic discipline

• concentrated practice', 'vaśī': 'self-controlled

• one who has mastery', 'tattva': 'truth

• principle', 'prasīdati': 'becomes serene

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'rājan')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) is not reached through uncontrolled living; mastery over the senses and mind, supported by scriptural guidance (āgama) and yogic discipline, leads to realization of truth (tattva) and inner serenity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva dialogue, Sañjaya addresses the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), emphasizing ethical-spiritual preparation: true understanding and closeness to Kṛṣṇa depend on self-restraint and disciplined practice, not mere status or desire.