Shloka 20

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ९३: कृष्णस्य धृतराष्ट्रोपदेशः

Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel to Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the Assembly

Devanagari script

सम्मृष्टसंसिक्तरज: प्रतिपेदे महापथम्‌ । राजर्षिचरितं काले कृष्णो धीमाडञ्छ़िया ज्वलन्‌,अपनी दिव्य कान्तिसे प्रकाशित होनेवाले परम बुद्धिमान्‌ भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्ण यथासमय उस विशाल राजपथपर जा पहुँचे, जिसपर पूर्वकालके राजर्षि यात्रा करते थे। वहाँकी धूल झाड़ दी गयी थी और सर्वत्र जलसे छिड़काव किया गया था

Transliteration

sammṛṣṭa-saṁsikta-rajaḥ pratipede mahāpatham | rājarṣi-caritaṁ kāle kṛṣṇo dhīmān arcīṣā jvalan ||

Translation

सम्मृष्टसंसिक्तरजः प्रतिपेदे महापथम् । राजर्षिचरितं काले कृष्णो धीमान् स्वच्छया ज्वलन् ॥

Word by Word

• {'sammṛṣṭa': 'well-swept, cleansed', 'saṁsikta': 'sprinkled (with water), moistened', 'rajaḥ': 'dust', 'pratipede': 'reached, entered upon, proceeded to', 'mahāpatham': 'great road

• main highway', 'rājarṣi-caritam': 'trodden/used by royal sages (rājarṣis)

• a venerable royal route', 'kāle': 'at the proper time

• in due course', 'kṛṣṇaḥ': 'Kṛṣṇa (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)', 'dhīmān': 'wise, intelligent, discerning', 'arcīṣā': 'with radiance/flame

• by (his) splendor', 'jvalan': 'shining, blazing'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛṣṇa
• mahāpatha (great royal road)
• rājarṣis (royal sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic order expressed through outward discipline: preparing the public way—sweeping dust and sprinkling water—signals reverence, self-restraint, and the ethical duty to honor a worthy guest or leader. It also suggests that true greatness naturally inspires purification and orderly conduct in society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates Kṛṣṇa’s timely arrival onto a grand, traditional royal highway once used by rājarṣis. The road has been ceremonially prepared—cleaned and watered—while Kṛṣṇa advances, described as supremely wise and radiant with divine splendor.