Shloka 38
Kuntī’s Prayers and the Neutralization of the Brahmāstra
Uttarā Protected; Yudhiṣṭhira’s Grief Begins
के वयं नामरूपाभ्यां यदुभि: सह पाण्डवा: । भवतोऽदर्शनं यर्हि हृषीकाणामिवेशितु: ॥ ३८ ॥
ke vayaṁ nāma-rūpābhyāṁ yadubhiḥ saha pāṇḍavāḥ bhavato ’darśanaṁ yarhi hṛṣīkāṇām iveśituḥ
ഞങ്ങൾ ആരാണ്—പേരു-രൂപം മാത്രം; പാണ്ഡവരും യാദവരും അതുപോലെ. ഹൃഷീകേശാ! നീ ഞങ്ങളെ നോക്കാതിരുന്നാൽ, ജീവൻ വിട്ട ദേഹത്തിന്റെ പേര്-യശസ് എങ്ങനെ മായുന്നുവോ, അങ്ങനെ ഞങ്ങളുടെ കീര്ത്തിയും പ്രവർത്തികളും ഉടൻ അവസാനിക്കും।
Kuntīdevī is quite aware that the existence of the Pāṇḍavas is due to Śrī Kṛṣṇa only. The Pāṇḍavas are undoubtedly well established in name and fame and are guided by the great King Yudhiṣṭhira, who is morality personified, and the Yadus are undoubtedly great allies, but without the guidance of Lord Kṛṣṇa all of them are nonentities, as much as the senses of the body are useless without the guidance of consciousness. No one should be proud of his prestige, power and fame without being guided by the favor of the Supreme Lord. The living beings are always dependent, and the ultimate dependable object is the Lord Himself. We may, therefore, invent by our advancement of material knowledge all sorts of counteracting material resources, but without being guided by the Lord all such inventions end in fiasco, however strong and stout the reactionary elements may be.
FAQs
This verse treats separation from Kṛṣṇa as spiritually significant: when the devotee cannot see Him, the heart feels the loss of the very Lord of the senses (Hṛṣīkeśa), intensifying remembrance and dependence on Him.
Kuntī addresses Kṛṣṇa as Hṛṣīkeśa to affirm that He is the inner ruler of all senses and minds; therefore, not seeing Him is not ordinary absence but a profound spiritual deprivation.
It teaches humility about our temporary identities and encourages turning the feeling of distance into deeper remembrance—redirecting the senses toward prayer, hearing, and service to reconnect with Hṛṣīkeśa.