Mahabharata 7.175.44 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 44
प्रजानाथ! उसने कवच, धनुष, बाण और खड्ग धारण कर रखे थे। वह श्रीकृष्ण और पाण्डुपुत्र धनंजयको प्रणाम करके उस समय भगवान् श्रीकृष्णसे बोला--'प्रभो! यह मैं सेवामें उपस्थित हूँ। मुझे आज्ञा दीजिये, क्या करूँ?” ।।
prajānātha! sa kavacaṃ dhanuḥ bāṇān khaḍgaṃ ca dhārayāmāsa. sa śrīkṛṣṇaṃ pāṇḍuputraṃ dhanañjayaṃ ca praṇamya tadā bhagavantaṃ śrīkṛṣṇam abravīt— “prabho! ahaṃ sevāyām upasthitaḥ. ājñāpaya, kiṃ karomi?” || tataḥ taṃ meghasaṅkāśaṃ dīptāsyaṃ dīptakuṇḍalam | abhyabhāṣata haiḍimbiṃ dāśārhaḥ prahasann iva ||
Wahai Tuhan segala makhluk! Dengan zirah, busur, anak panah, dan pedang, ia menunduk memberi hormat kepada Śrī Kṛṣṇa dan kepada Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), putera Pāṇḍu. Lalu ia berkata kepada Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa: “Tuanku, hamba telah hadir untuk berkhidmat. Perintahkanlah—apakah yang harus hamba lakukan hari ini?” Maka Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa), seolah-olah tersenyum, berbicara kepada Haiḍimba (Ghaṭotkaca) yang hitam laksana awan hujan, bermuka menyala dan bertelinga anting yang berkilau.
श्रीवायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined power: a mighty warrior first bows to legitimate authority and offers himself for service, asking for clear instruction. Ethically, it frames martial strength as something to be guided by dharma and rightful command rather than personal impulse.
Ghaṭotkaca arrives fully armed, salutes Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, and declares his readiness to serve. Kṛṣṇa then addresses him—described as cloud-dark with a blazing face and shining earrings—indicating that Kṛṣṇa is about to assign him a role in the ongoing battle.
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