Shloka 25
Kṛṣṇasya Khāṇḍavaprasthāt Dvārakā-prayāṇaḥ | Krishna’s Departure for Dvārakā
ततस्तै: संविदं कृत्वा यथावन्मधुसूदन: । निवर्त्य च तथा कृच्छात् पाण्डवान् सपदानुगान्,तत्पश्चात् उनके साथ पुनः आनेका निश्चित वादा करके भगवान् मधुसूदनने पैदल आये हुए नागरिकों-सहित पाण्डवोंको बड़ी कठिनाईसे लौटाया और प्रसन्नतापूर्वक अपनी पुरी द्वारकाको गये, मानो इन्द्र अमरावतीको जा रहे हों। जबतक वे दिखायी दिये, तबतक पाण्डव अपने नेत्रोंद्वारा उनका अनुसरण करते रहे
tatais taiḥ saṃvidaṃ kṛtvā yathāvan madhusūdanaḥ | nivartya ca tathā kṛcchrāt pāṇḍavān sapadānugān ||
Kemudian Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa), setelah menyempurnakan persefahaman dengan mereka sebagaimana wajar, memalingkan para Pāṇḍava kembali—bersama warga yang mengikut dengan berjalan kaki—meskipun dengan kesukaran yang besar. Sesudah itu, setelah sekali lagi berjanji akan kembali, baginda berangkat dengan gembira menuju kota Dvārakā, seolah-olah Indra menuju Amarāvatī. Dan selama baginda masih kelihatan, para Pāṇḍava terus mengiringinya dengan pandangan mata.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights dharmic conduct in relationships: agreements should be made properly (yathāvat saṃvid), promises should be honored (the pledge to return), and leadership sometimes requires difficult restraint—Kṛṣṇa must persuade devoted followers to turn back despite their attachment.
After settling matters with the Pāṇḍavas and their accompanying followers, Kṛṣṇa with difficulty sends them back and departs for Dvārakā. The Pāṇḍavas, reluctant to part, keep watching him until he disappears from view; the narration likens his departure to Indra going to Amarāvatī.