Shloka 1
Sauptika-parva Adhyāya 13 — Bhīmasena’s Pursuit of Drauṇi and the Release of a Divine Astra
ऑपन-माजल बछ। अकाल त्रयोदशो< ध्याय: श्रीकृष्ण, अर्जुन और युधिष्ठिरका भीमसेनके पीछे जाना, भीमका लीक पहुँचकर अभ्वत्थामाको ललकारना और अभ्चवृत द्वारा ब्रह्मास्त्रका प्रयोग वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा युधां श्रेष्ठ: सर्वयादवनन्दन: । सर्वायुधवरोपेतमारुरोह रथोत्तमम्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन! सम्पूर्ण यादवकुलको आनन्दित करनेवाले योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण ऐसा कहकर समस्त श्रेष्ठ आयुधोंसे सम्पन्न उत्तम रथपर आरूढ़ हुए
vaiśampāyana uvāca | evam uktvā yudhāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ sarva-yādava-nandanaḥ | sarvāyudha-varo-petam āruroha rathottamam ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच—एवमुक्त्वा युधां श्रेष्ठः सर्वयादवनन्दनः। सर्वायुधवरोपेतमारुरोह रथोत्तमम्॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Righteous leadership requires prompt, disciplined action in moments of moral crisis. Kṛṣṇa’s immediate readiness—mounting a well-armed chariot—signals responsibility: power and preparedness are to be used to prevent further wrongdoing and to stabilize dharma after catastrophic violence.
After speaking (to the Pāṇḍavas, in context), Kṛṣṇa quickly mounts an excellent, fully equipped chariot. This sets the scene for rapid pursuit and confrontation in the Sauptika episode, where events move toward challenges involving Bhīma and Aśvatthāmā and the dangerous use of divine weapons.