Shloka 153

Samrāt-Lakṣaṇa and the Counsel to Check Jarāsandha (सम्राट्-लक्षणं जरासन्ध-प्रतिबाधा-परामर्शः)

Devanagari script

स्नेहबद्धश्न मनसा पितृवद्‌ भक्तिमांस्त्वयि । महाराज! जो मुर और नरक नामक देशका शासन करते हैं

Transliteration

snehabaddhaś ca manasā pitṛvad bhaktimāṁs tvayi | mahārāja! ye mura-naraka-nāmaka-deśasya śāsanaṁ kurvanti, yasyāḥ senā anantā, ye varuṇa-samāḥ paścima-diśaḥ adhipatayaḥ ucyante, ye vṛddhāvasthāṁ gatāḥ, ca ye tava pituḥ mitrāḥ, te yavanādhipati-rājā bhagadattaḥ api vācā kriyayā ca jarāsandhasya purataḥ viśeṣeṇa natamastakāḥ santi; tathāpi te manasā tvat-sneha-pāśe baddhāḥ, yathā pitā putre snehavān, tathā teṣāṁ tvayi vātsalya-bhāvaḥ vartate ||

Translation

ମହାରାଜ! ‘ମୁର’ ଓ ‘ନରକ’ ନାମକ ଦେଶ ଶାସନ କରୁଥିବା, ଯାହାଙ୍କ ସେନାକୁ ଅନନ୍ତ କୁହାଯାଏ, ବରୁଣଙ୍କ ପରି ପଶ୍ଚିମ ଦିଗର ଅଧିପତି ଭାବେ ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ, ବୃଦ୍ଧାବସ୍ଥାକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚିଥିବା ଏବଂ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ପିତାଙ୍କ ମିତ୍ର ଥିବା ଯବନାଧିପତି ରାଜା ଭଗଦତ୍ତ—ବାଣୀ ଓ କ୍ରିୟାରେ ଜରାସନ୍ଧଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ବିଶେଷ ଭାବେ ନତମସ୍ତକ ରହିଥିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ, ମନରେ ତ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ସ୍ନେହପାଶରେ ବନ୍ଧା; ପିତା ପୁତ୍ର ପ୍ରତି ଯେପରି ବାତ୍ସଲ୍ୟ ରଖେ, ସେପରି ଆପଣଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ତାଙ୍କର ସ୍ନେହ ଅଟୁଟ।

Word by Word

• स्नेहबद्धः: bound by affection
• स्नेहबद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नेह-बद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पितृवत्: like a father
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पितृवत्

• भक्तिमान्: devoted
• भक्तिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्तिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वयि: in/unto you
• त्वयि: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Bhagadatta
• Jarāsandha
• Varuṇa
• Yavana (people/group)
• Mura (region/name)
• Naraka (region/name)
• Paścima-diś (western quarter)
• Mahārāja (addressed king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Krishna highlights the difference between outward political submission and inward loyalty: a ruler may bow publicly to a stronger power for pragmatic reasons, yet remain bound by genuine affection and dharmic ties (friendship with one’s father, paternal goodwill) toward another.

What is happening in the narrative?

Krishna describes Bhagadatta’s position: although he appears compliant before Jarāsandha in speech and action, his heart is attached to the addressed king with fatherly tenderness, due to old friendship and longstanding bonds.