Shloka 2
Trita in the Well (Udapāna-kathā) — Balarāma’s Tīrtha Observances
Devanagari script
साहाय्य॑ धार्तराष्ट्स्य न च कर्तास्मि केशव । न चैव पाण्डुपुत्राणां गमिष्यामि यथागतम्
Transliteration
sāhāyyaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya na ca kartāsmi keśava | na caiva pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ gamiṣyāmi yathāgatam ||
Translation
“கேசவா! நான் திருதராஷ்டிரன் மகனுக்கு துணையாக மாட்டேன்; இந்நிலையிலே பாண்டு புதல்வர்களின் பக்கமும் செல்லமாட்டேன்.”
Word by Word
साहाय्यम्help, assistance
साहाय्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसाहाय्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
धार्तराष्ट्रस्यof the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootधार्तराष्ट्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
कर्तास्मिI will do / I shall be a doer (i.e., I will act)
कर्तास्मि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormPresent (Lat), First, Singular, Parasmaipada
केशवO Keśava (Krishna)
केशव:
TypeNoun
Rootकेशव
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed, just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
पाण्डुपुत्राणाम्of the sons of Pāṇḍu (the Pāṇḍavas)
पाण्डुपुत्राणाम्:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डुपुत्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
गमिष्यामिI will go
गमिष्यामि:
TypeVerb
Rootगम्
FormFuture (Lṛṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada
यथाas, in the manner that
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
आगतम्come/arrived (as I came)
आगतम्:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-गम्
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
जनमेजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
K
Keśava (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)D
Dhārtarāṣṭra (Kaurava side; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son, i.e., Duryodhana by implication)P
Pāṇḍuputrāḥ (the Pāṇḍavas)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical agency in times of conflict: one may consciously refuse to empower either faction, choosing restraint and distance rather than becoming an instrument of war.
Addressing Keśava (Kṛṣṇa), the speaker declares that he will neither support the Kaurava side (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son) nor join the Pāṇḍavas, signaling a decision to stay apart as the war nears.