Shloka 25
कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke
यदत्रानन्तरं प्राप्त शंस मे तद्धि माधव । आतिथ्यकर्माभ्युत्थाय दीयतां यदि मन्यसे,“माधव! एक ओर तो मुझे संशप्तकोंका वध करना है, दूसरी ओर द्रोणकुमार अश्वत्थामा युद्धके लिये मेरा आह्वान कर रहा है। अत: यहाँ मेरे लिये जो पहले कर्तव्य प्राप्त हो, उसे मुझे बताइये। यदि आप ठीक समझें तो पहले उठकर अभ्व॒त्थामाको ही आतिथ्य ग्रहण करनेका अवसर दिया जाय”
yad atrānantaraṃ prāptaṃ śaṃsa me taddhi mādhava | ātithyakarmābhyutthāya dīyatāṃ yadi manyase | mādhava! ekaṃ ora to me śaṃsaptakānāṃ vadhaṃ kartavyaṃ, dvitīyāṃ ora droṇakumāra aśvatthāmā yuddhāya mamāhvānaṃ karoti | ataḥ atra mama yat pūrvaṃ kartavyaṃ prāptaṃ, tat me vada | yadi tvaṃ samyak manyase tarhi pūrvaṃ utthāya aśvatthāmana eva ātithyaṃ grahītuṃ avasaro dīyatām ||
सञ्जय उवाच—माधव, यदत्रानन्तरं प्राप्तं तन्मे शंस। यदि मन्यसे, आतिथ्यकर्माभ्युत्थाय दीयताम्। एकतो मे संशप्तकानां वधः, अपरतो द्रोणपुत्रोऽश्वत्थामा युद्धाय मां समाह्वयते; तस्मात् किमत्र पूर्वं कर्तव्यमिति मे ब्रूहि। यदि ते सम्मतम्, तर्ह्यश्वत्थाम्नः प्रथममातिथ्यं दातव्यम्—अर्थात् प्रथमं तेन सह संग्रामः।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as situational discernment: when multiple obligations arise at once, one should seek wise counsel and prioritize the most fitting duty. It also shows how classical texts can use social-ethical language (hospitality) as a metaphor for martial conduct—meeting a challenger with due ‘reception’ in battle.
Sanjaya reports a moment of tactical and ethical choice: the speaker addresses Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa) asking what should be done first, since two demands compete—fighting the Saṃsaptakas and responding to Aśvatthāmā’s direct challenge. The request frames the decision as giving ‘hospitality’ by rising to meet Aśvatthāmā first.