Shloka 20

Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna Saṃvāda in Indraprastha: Consolation, Legitimation, and Leave for Dvārakā (आश्वमेधिकपर्व, अध्याय १५)

Devanagari script

कालो महांस्त्वतीतो मे शूरसूनुमपश्यत: । बलदेवं च कौरव्य तथान्यान्‌ वृष्णिपुज्वान्‌

Transliteration

vāyudeva uvāca |

kālo mahāṁs tv atīto me śūrasūnum apaśyataḥ |

baladevaṁ ca kauravya tathānyān vṛṣṇipuṅgavān |

niṣpāpa kurunandana |

idaṁ sabhābhavanaṁ ramyaṁ ca pavitraṁ ca svargavat sukhadam |

atra tvayā saha vasan bahavo divasā vyatītāḥ |

etāvadbhir divasair ahaṁ pitaram śūrasenakumāraṁ vasudevaṁ draṣṭuṁ na śakto 'bhavam |

bhrātaraṁ baladevaṁ cānyāṁś ca vṛṣṇivaṁśasya śreṣṭhān puruṣān adarśanena vihīnaḥ |

atas tv idānīṁ dvārakāpurīṁ gantum icchāmi |

puruṣapravara tvam api mama yātrāprastāvaṁ saharṣaṁ pratigṛhṇīyāḥ ||

Translation

Vāyudeva disse: “Muito tempo se passou para mim, ó Kaurava, sem ver o filho de Śūrasena—Vasudeva—nem Baladeva, nem os demais heróis mais eminentes da linhagem dos Vṛṣṇis. Ó alegria sem pecado dos Kurus, este salão de assembleia é encantador e puro, agradável como o céu; vivendo aqui contigo, muitos dias se foram. Contudo, durante todo esse tempo não pude contemplar meu pai Vasudeva, o príncipe de Śūrasena, e fui privado da visão de meu irmão Baladeva e dos melhores homens do clã dos Vṛṣṇis. Por isso agora desejo ir à cidade de Dvārakā. Ó melhor dos homens, tu também deves aceitar com alegria esta minha proposta acerca da viagem.”

Word by Word

• कालः: time
• कालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महान्: great, long
• महान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अतीतः: passed (by), elapsed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-इ (अत्येति)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• मे: of me, my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• शूरसूनुम्: the son of Śūra (Vasudeva)
• शूरसूनुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूरसूनु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपश्यतः: while (I was) not seeing
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (पश्यति)
• Form: Genitive, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• बलदेवम्: Baladeva
• बलदेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलदेव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कौरव्य: O Kauravya (descendant of Kuru)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव्य
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तथा: likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वृष्णिपुङ्गवान्: the foremost among the Vṛṣṇis
• वृष्णिपुङ्गवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णिपुङ्गव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• निष्पाप: O sinless one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्पाप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुरुनन्दन: O joy of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (Vāyu)
• Vasudeva (Śūrasūnu, Śūrasenakumāra)
• Baladeva
• Kaurava (addressed person)
• Kurunandana (addressed person)
• Vṛṣṇis (Vṛṣṇivaṁśa)
• Sabhābhavana (assembly-hall)
• Svarga (heaven, as comparison)
• Dvārakāpurī (Dvārakā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights ethical priorities in relationships: even amid comfort and honor in a noble court, one should not neglect duties of kinship and the longing to meet elders and family. It also models courteous communication—seeking consent and framing departure as a respectful proposal rather than abrupt withdrawal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses a Kuru prince, saying that many days have passed while staying in the pleasant, sacred assembly-hall, but he has not seen Vasudeva (called the son of Śūrasena), nor Baladeva and other leading Vṛṣṇis. He therefore expresses his wish to depart for Dvārakā and asks the addressee to approve the journey gladly.