Shloka 11
Uttanka’s Inquiry and Vāsudeva’s Adhyātma Exposition
Guṇa–Ritual–Immanence Teaching
अपि संधाय तान् वीरानुपावृत्तोडसि केशव । सम्बन्धिन: स्वदयितान् सतत वृष्णिपुड्रव,केशव! क्या तुम उन वीरोंमें संधि कराकर ही लौट रहे हो? वृष्णिपुंगव! वे कौरव, पाण्डव तुम्हारे सम्बन्धी तथा तुम्हें सदा ही परम प्रिय रहे हैं
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: api sandhāya tān vīrān upāvṛtto 'si Keśava? sambandhinaḥ svadayitān satataṃ Vṛṣṇipuṅgava; Kauravāḥ Pāṇḍavāś ca tava sambandhinaḥ, tvāṃ ca sadā parama-priyāḥ.
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Keśava, adakah engkau kembali hanya setelah mendamaikan para wira itu? Wahai yang terunggul dalam kalangan Vṛṣṇi, kaum Kaurava dan para Pāṇḍava itu ialah kaum kerabatmu, dan mereka sentiasa amat dikasihi olehmu.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid the aftermath of war, dharma favors restoring harmony where possible—especially among kin. The verse highlights Kṛṣṇa’s ethical burden as a relative to both sides and frames reconciliation as a higher duty than mere victory.
Vaiśampāyana addresses Kṛṣṇa (Keśava), asking whether he is returning only after arranging a settlement with the principal warriors. He emphasizes that both Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas are Kṛṣṇa’s relatives and always dear to him, underscoring the personal and political stakes of peace-making.