Shloka 50

Devanagari script

धनंजयस्तत: कृष्णमब्रवीत्‌ पश्य केशव । आचार्यरथमुख्यानां मध्ये क्रीडन्‌ मधूद्गह:,तदनन्तर श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन शत्रुसेनापर टूट पड़े। उस समय अर्जुनने श्रीकृष्णसे कहा--'केशव! देखिये, यह मधुवंशशिरोमणि सात्यकि आचार्यकी रक्षा करनेवाले मुख्य महारथियोंके बीचमें खेल रहा है

Transliteration

dhanañjayas tataḥ kṛṣṇam abravīt paśya keśava | ācārya-ratha-mukhyānāṁ madhye krīḍan madhūdgaḥ ||

Translation

అప్పుడు ధనంజయుడు (అర్జునుడు) కృష్ణునితో అన్నాడు—“కేశవా! చూడు, ఆచార్యుని రథాన్ని కాపాడే ప్రధాన మహారథుల మధ్య మధువంశజుడైన ఆ వీరుడు ఆటలాడుతున్నట్లుగా సంచరిస్తున్నాడు.”

Word by Word

धनंजयःDhanañjaya (Arjuna)

ततःthen/thereupon

कृष्णम्Kṛṣṇa

अब्रवीत्said/spoke

पश्यsee/look

केशवO Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

आचार्य-रथ-मुख्यानाम्of the chief chariot-warriors (protecting) the teacher

मध्येin the midst

क्रीडन्sporting/playing (moving as if at play)

मधूद्वहःthe bearer of Madhu’s line (Sātyaki; best of the Madhu clan)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)

Kṛṣṇa (Keśava)

Droṇa (Ācārya)

Sātyaki (implied by context as the Madhu-line hero)

chariot (ratha)

foremost chariot-warriors (mahārathas; implied by ratha-mukhyāḥ)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights exemplary courage and mastery in righteous warfare: a devoted ally (Sātyaki) advances through elite defenders without hesitation, reminding the listener that steadfast resolve and skill can uphold one’s chosen duty even amid overwhelming opposition.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the thick of battle, Arjuna points out to Kṛṣṇa that Sātyaki is moving ‘as if playing’ right among the principal chariot-warriors stationed to protect Droṇa’s chariot—signaling Sātyaki’s daring penetration of the enemy’s protective formation.