Shloka 243
मौसलपर्व — अध्याय ८
Arjuna’s evacuation of Dvārakā, Vasudeva’s rites, and the caravan’s crisis
उपदेष्ठूं मम श्रेयो भवानहति सत्तम । सर्वव्यापी भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण अन्तर्धान हो गये, यह बात सुनते ही मुझे सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंका ज्ञान भूल जाता है। मेरे भी जाति-भाइयोंका नाश तो पहले ही हो गया था, अब मेरा पराक्रम भी नष्ट हो गया; अतः शून्यहृदय होकर इधर-उधर दौड़ लगा रहा हूँ। संतोंमें श्रेष्ठ महर्ष] आप कृपा करके मुझे यह उपदेश दें कि मेरा कल्याण कैसे होगा?
Arjuna uvāca | upadeṣṭuṁ mama śreyo bhavān arhati sattama | sarvavyāpī bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇaḥ antardhānaṁ gata iti śrutvā mama sarvā diśo jñānaṁ vismṛtaṁ bhavati | mama api jāti-bhrātṝṇāṁ nāśaḥ pūrvam eva jātaḥ, idānīṁ ca me parākramaḥ naṣṭaḥ; ataḥ śūnya-hṛdayaḥ san itas-tatas dhāvāmi | santoṁ-śreṣṭha maharṣe, bhavān kṛpayā me upadiśatu—kathaṁ me kalyāṇaṁ syāt ||
अर्जुन उवाच—उपदेष्टुं मम श्रेयो भवानर्हति सत्तम। सर्वव्यापी भगवान् श्रीकृष्णोऽन्तर्धानं गत इति श्रुत्वैव मे दिशां ज्ञानं नश्यति। मम जातिबान्धवानां नाशः पूर्वमेवाभवत्, इदानीं च मे पराक्रमोऽपि क्षीणः। शून्यहृदय इव भ्रमन् इह तत्र धावामि। महर्षे, साधुश्रेष्ठ, कृपया मे ब्रूहि—कथं मे कल्याणं स्यात्?
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arjuna’s plea centers on śreyas—true welfare beyond immediate emotion. The verse frames ethical-spiritual recovery as requiring guidance from a realized sage when personal strength and worldly supports collapse, especially after the Lord’s withdrawal.
In the Mausala Parva’s aftermath, Arjuna hears that Śrī Kṛṣṇa has vanished. Already devastated by the loss of his kinsmen, he now feels his heroic power fail and becomes disoriented. He turns to a great seer for compassionate instruction on how to attain his ultimate good.