Shloka 20
Dyūta-doṣa-prakāśana — Kṛṣṇa’s Critique of Gambling and the Exile Crisis
ततः प्रध्माप्प जलजं पाउ्चजन्यमहं नृप । आहूय शाल्वं समरे युद्धाय समवस्थित:,नरेश्वर! तदनन्तर मैंने पाउचजन्य शंख बजाकर शाल्वको समरभूमिमें बुलाया और स्वयं भी युद्धके लिये उपस्थित हुआ
tataḥ pradhmāpp jalajaṃ pāñcajanyam ahaṃ nṛpa | āhūya śālvaṃ samare yuddhāya samavasthitaḥ ||
Kemudian, wahai Raja, aku meniup sangkaku Pāñcajanya, yang lahir dari perairan; dengan seruan perang itu aku memanggil Śālva ke medan laga. Dan aku sendiri berdiri siap untuk bertempur—menandakan bahawa seorang pahlawan yang menegakkan dharma tidak mengelak daripada pertempuran yang wajar, tetapi menyambut pencerobohan dengan tekad yang teguh.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma: when confronted by an aggressor, a leader should not shrink from a rightful battle. The conch-blast functions as a public, disciplined declaration—courage joined with clarity of purpose rather than impulsive violence.
Kṛṣṇa sounds his conch Pāñcajanya and formally summons Śālva to engage. He then takes his stance on the battlefield, indicating that the confrontation has moved from threat to open combat with both sides present.