Shloka 3

Śiśupāla-vadha in the Rājasūya-sabhā (शिशुपालवधः — राजसूयसभायाम्)

Devanagari script

अद्वारेण प्रविष्टेन छद्मना ब्रह्म॒वादिना | दृष्ट: प्रभाव: कृष्णेन जरासंधस्य भूपते:,पहले तो (चैत्यकगिरिके शिखरको तोड़कर) बिना दरवाजेके ही इसने नगरमें प्रवेश किया। उसपर भी छटद्वावेष बना लिया और अपनेको ब्राह्मण प्रसिद्ध कर दिया। इस प्रकार इस कृष्णने भूपाल जरासंधका प्रभाव देखा

Transliteration

advāreṇa praviṣṭena chadmanā brahmavādinā | dṛṣṭaḥ prabhāvaḥ kṛṣṇena jarāsaṃdhasya bhūpateḥ ||

Translation

“Dia memasuki kota bukan melalui pintu gerbang, tetapi dengan memecah masuk; kemudian menyamar dan berpura-pura sebagai seorang brahmin, lalu meninjau kekuatan serta wibawa Raja Jarāsandha.”

Word by Word

अद्वारेणby/through a doorless (way), without a door

प्रविष्टेनhaving entered

छद्मनाwith disguise, by deceit

ब्रह्मवादिनाas a brahmin-speaker/one professing Brahman (i.e., posing as a Brahmin)

दृष्टःwas seen/observed

प्रभावःmight, power, influence

कृष्णेनby Krishna

जरासंधस्यof Jarasandha

भूपतेःof the king

Speaker

शिशुपाल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śiśupāla

Kṛṣṇa

Jarāsandha

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 highlights a dharmic tension: political or strategic success achieved through disguise and covert entry can be criticized as ethically questionable, especially when judged against ideals of open, honorable conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śiśupāla accuses Kṛṣṇa of entering Jarāsandha’s city by an improper route and under a brahmin disguise, implying that Kṛṣṇa’s purpose was to assess Jarāsandha’s strength and influence through stealth rather than direct approach.