Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

व्यामान्तरं समास्थाय यथामुक्त मनस्विन: । चक्र तद्‌ वासुदेवस्य मायया वर्तते विभो

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | vyāmāntaraṃ samāsthāya yathāmukta-manāsvinaḥ | cakra tad vāsudevasya māyayā vartate vibho, prabho |

Translation

Sañjaya disse: “Esse disco de Vāsudeva permanece sempre com ele — imperceptível aos outros por seu poder divino — e sua extensão central mede cerca de três côvados e meio. Conforme a resolução do Senhor, assume uma forma vasta e flamejante e é empregado para a destruição dos inimigos.”

Word by Word

• व्यासमान्तरम्: the inner span/diameter (lit. the interior of the breadth)
• व्यासमान्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समास्थाय: having assumed/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-स्था (धातु: √स्था)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)

• उक्तम्: said, stated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु: √वच्) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मनस्विनः: of the high-minded one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• चक्र: he made/did
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु: √कृ)
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वासुदेवस्य: of Vāsudeva
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• मायया: by (his) māyā, through illusion/power
• मायया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वर्तते: it exists/abides, remains
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु: √वृत्)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular

• विभो: O mighty one
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रभो: O lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Sudarśana Cakra (discus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes the Lord’s sovereignty: divine instruments act according to his will, and his māyā can conceal or reveal power as needed. Ethical force (punishing aggressors) is portrayed as legitimate when guided by righteous resolve rather than personal rage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Vāsudeva’s Sudarśana discus—its formidable size and radiance, its concealment by divine māyā, and its readiness to be deployed for the destruction of enemies when the Lord so intends.