Shloka 2

खाण्डवदाहे देवविमुखता तथा मयदानवाभयदानम् | Khāṇḍava Burning: Devas Withdraw; Maya Granted Protection

Devanagari script

वासुदेवाभ्यनुज्ञात: कथयित्वेतिकृत्यताम्‌ कृष्णस्य मतमादाय प्रययौ भरतर्षभ:

Transliteration

vāsudevābhyanujñātaḥ kathayitvetikṛtyatām | kṛṣṇasya matam ādāya prayayau bharatarṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

వాసుదేవుని అనుమతి పొందిన తరువాత, చెప్పవలసినది–చేయవలసినది యథావిధిగా చెప్పి చేసి, కృష్ణుని అభిప్రాయాన్ని స్వీకరించి, భరతశ్రేష్ఠుడు (అర్జునుడు) బయలుదేరెను.

Word by Word

वासुदेवfrom Vasudeva

अभ्यनुज्ञातःhaving been permitted/authorized

कथयित्वाhaving told/related

इतिthus

कृत्यताम्what ought to be done; the required course of action

कृष्णस्यof Krishna

मतम्opinion; decision

आदायhaving taken/accepted

प्रययौwent forth; departed

भरतर्षभःthe bull among the Bharatas (best of the Bharatas)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Kṛṣṇa

Bharatarṣabha (a foremost Bharata/Kuru prince)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic procedure: one should act with authorization, complete one’s entrusted duty properly (itikṛtyatā), and proceed guided by wise counsel rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

A leading Bharata/Kuru figure, after obtaining Kṛṣṇa’s permission and finishing the necessary communication, departs carrying Kṛṣṇa’s opinion—signaling a transition where Kṛṣṇa’s counsel will shape subsequent actions.