Shloka 1

Sañjaya’s Knowledge of Keśava and the Discipline of Indriya-nigraha (संजयस्य केशवज्ञानम्—इन्द्रियनिग्रह-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

असजन कार (.) आ+औअन+- अष्टषष्टितमो< ध्याय: संजयका धृतराष्ट्रको भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णकी महिमा बतलाना संजय उवाच अर्जुनो वासुदेवश्च धन्विनौ परमार्चितौ | कामादन्यत्र सम्भूतौ सर्वभावाय सम्मितौ

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | arjuno vāsudevaś ca dhanvinau paramārcitau | kāmād anyatra sambhūtau sarvabhāvāya sammitau ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: Ó rei, Arjuna e Vāsudeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) são ambos arqueiros supremos, honrados acima de todos. Embora eternamente unidos em essência, manifestaram-se separadamente por vontade deliberada para o bem-estar do mundo, plenamente iguais diante de toda tarefa que deva ser cumprida.

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वासुदेवः: Vasudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• धन्विनौ: two bowmen
• धन्विनौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• परम-अर्चितौ: highly honored / supremely worshipped
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + अर्चित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• कामात्: from desire; for the sake of (a wish)
• कामात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere; separately
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र

• सम्भूतौ: arisen; manifested; born
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भू
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual, क्त (past passive participle)

• सर्व-भावाय: for the welfare of all beings / for all purposes
• सर्व-भावाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भाव
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• सम्मितौ: fully capable; adequate; equal to (the task)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + मा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Arjuna
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa as divinely purposed agents: their excellence and honor are not merely personal achievements but instruments for universal welfare. Ethical action is presented as guided by higher intention—capability and prestige are to serve lokasaṅgraha (the good of the world).

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya begins describing to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the greatness of Kṛṣṇa (and Arjuna), emphasizing that both are supremely revered archers who have appeared separately by deliberate will, implying a providential design behind the unfolding events of the impending Kurukṣetra conflict.