Bhishma Parva Adhyaya 23 Shloka 1 - Mahabharata | Malayalam | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 1

Kurukṣetra-sainyadarśana and Arjuna-viṣāda (धर्मक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः — अर्जुनविषाद)

Devanagari script

अपन बक। है २ >> त्रयोविशो<् ध्याय: अर्जुनके द्वारा दुगदिवीकी स्तुति

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | dhārtarāṣṭra-balaṃ dṛṣṭvā yuddhāya samupasthitam | arjunasya hitārthāya kṛṣṇo vacanam abravīt ||

Translation

സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ധൃതരാഷ്ട്രപുത്രരുടെ സൈന്യം യുദ്ധത്തിനായി നിരന്നുനിന്നതു കണ്ടപ്പോൾ, അർജുനന്റെ ഹിതാർത്ഥം ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണൻ ഈ വചനങ്ങൾ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

संजयःSanjaya

उवाचsaid

धृतराष्ट्रबलम्the army of Dhritarashtra (i.e., the Kaurava force)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

युद्धायfor battle

समुपस्थितम्assembled / present (having come forth)

अर्जुनस्यof Arjuna

हितार्थायfor the sake of (his) welfare

कृष्णःKrishna

वचनम्a word / speech

अब्रवीत्said / spoke

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Krishna

Arjuna

Dhritarashtra (implied by dhārtarāṣṭra)

Kaurava army (dhārtarāṣṭra-bala)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames Krishna’s speech as hitārtha—aimed at Arjuna’s true welfare—suggesting that right counsel in crisis should steady the mind and orient action toward dharma rather than fear, confusion, or impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that, as the Kaurava forces stand ready for war, Krishna addresses Arjuna. This sets the scene for guidance given immediately before engagement, when moral clarity and resolve are most tested.