Shloka 87
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
शस्त्राणि गात्रे न च ते क्रमेर- न्रित्येव कृष्णश्ष॒ ततः कृतार्थ: | एवंरूपे वासुदेवे<प्रमेये महाबले गुणसम्पत् सदैव
śastrāṇi gātre na ca te krameran nṛtyeva kṛṣṇaḥ tataḥ kṛtārthaḥ | evaṃrūpe vāsudeve ’prameye mahābale guṇasampat sadaiva ||
सञ्जय उवाच— तस्य गात्रेषु शस्त्राणि न कदाचन क्रमेरन्; नृत्यन्निव स कृष्णः समरे विचचार। देवैस्तस्य भयानकं पराक्रमं दृष्ट्वैवमवराः प्रदत्ताः— “केशव! युद्धे ते श्रमो न भवतु; नभसि जले चापि त्वमप्रतिहतगतिः स्याः; तवाङ्गेषु च किमप्यस्त्रशस्त्रं नोपहन्तु।” एवं वरान् प्राप्य स भगवान् कृतार्थोऽभवत्। अस्मिन् अप्रमेये महाबले वासुदेवे सर्वा गुणसम्पद् नित्यं निवसति।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage presents Kṛṣṇa’s invulnerability and tirelessness as signs of divine completeness: true power is paired with guṇa-sampat (a fullness of virtues). In the epic’s ethical frame, such divine endowment supports the protection and re-establishment of dharma amid the violence of war.
Sañjaya describes how, after witnessing Kṛṣṇa’s terrifying prowess in battle, the gods grant him boons: no fatigue while fighting, unobstructed movement through sky and water, and immunity from weapon-strikes. Having received these boons, Kṛṣṇa is said to be kṛtārtha—his purpose fully secured.