Shloka 7

Jarāsandha-nipātana, rāja-mokṣa, and rājasūya-sāhāyya-prārthanā

Jarāsandha’s fall, liberation of kings, and request for support

Devanagari script

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच कुलकार्य महाबाहो कश्चिदेक: कुलोद्वह: । वहते यस्तन्नियोगाद्‌ वयम भ्युद्यतास्त्वयि,श्रीकृष्णने कहा--महाबाहो! समूचे कुलमें कोई एक ही पुरुष कुलका भार सँभालता है। उस कुलके सभी लोगोंकी रक्षा आदिका कार्य सम्पन्न करता है। जो वैसे महापुरुष हैं, उन्हींकी आज्ञासे हमलोग आज तुम्हें दण्ड देनेको उद्यत हुए हैं

Transliteration

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca | kulakārya mahābāho kaścid ekaḥ kulodvahaḥ | vahate yas tan-niyogād vayam abhyudyatās tvayi ||

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa bersabda: “Wahai yang berlengan perkasa, dalam sesebuah keturunan kadang-kadang hanya ada seorang tokoh unggul yang memikul beban tugas keluarga serta menjamin perlindungan dan kesejahteraan semua. Atas perintah insan agung sedemikianlah kami bangkit pada hari ini untuk menjatuhkan hukuman ke atasmu.”

Word by Word

• {'śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca': 'Śrī Kṛṣṇa said', 'kulakārya': 'family duty

• responsibility pertaining to the clan/lineage', 'mahābāho': 'O mighty-armed (epithet of a hero/warrior)', 'kaścit': 'someone

• a certain person', 'ekaḥ': 'one

• single', 'kulodvahaḥ': 'upholder/bearer of the lineage

• one who sustains the family’s honor and obligations', 'vahate': 'bears

• sustains', 'tan-niyogāt': 'by his command/appointment

• due to his injunction', 'vayam': 'we', 'abhyudyatāḥ': 'risen up

• intent upon action', 'tvayi': 'towards you

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames punishment and coercive action as legitimate when grounded in rightful authority and undertaken for the protection of the wider family/community. It emphasizes the ethical idea that a lineage may be upheld by a single responsible leader (kulodvaha), whose injunctions guide collective action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa addresses a heroic figure (“mahābāho”), explaining that their present readiness to punish him is not arbitrary: it is undertaken under the directive of an eminent family-upholder who bears responsibility for the clan’s welfare.