Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तदानुतेपे सुरराजपुत्रो विनि:श्वसंश्षासिम थोद्धबर्ह । तमाह कृष्ण: किमिदं पुनर्भवान्‌ विकोशमाकाशनिभं॑ करोत्यसिम्‌

Transliteration

tadānutape surarājaputro viniḥśvasañ śāsimaṃ thoddabarha | tam āha kṛṣṇaḥ kim idaṃ punar bhavān vikośam ākāśanibhaṃ karoty asim ||

Translation

అప్పుడు దేవరాజుని కుమారుడు కలతచెంది, బరువుగా ఊపిరి తీసుకుంటూ తన ఖడ్గాన్ని బయటికి లాగాడు. ఆకాశంలా మెరిసే నగ్నధారను చూసి కృష్ణుడు అన్నాడు—“నీవు మళ్లీ ఎందుకు ఖడ్గాన్ని ఒడిసిపెడుతున్నావు?”

Word by Word

तदाthen

अनुतेपेrepented, was distressed

सुरराजपुत्रःthe son of the king of gods (Arjuna)

विनिःश्वसन्breathing out heavily, sighing

शस्त्रासिम्a weapon-sword (sword as a weapon)

अथthen

उद्धबर्हdrew out, pulled out

तम्him

आहsaid

कृष्णःKrishna

किम्what?

इदम्this

पुनःagain

भवान्you (sir)

विकोशम्drawn out, unsheathed

आकाशनिभम्sky-like (in color/brightness)

करोतिmakes, renders

असिम्sword

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Kṛṣṇa

Surarājaputra (Arjuna)

Sword (asi)

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 a moment where intense emotion leads to a rash impulse (unsheathing the sword), and Kṛṣṇa’s immediate questioning functions as ethical restraint—prompting reflection before action, especially in war where anger can override dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna (Indra’s son) becomes agitated and, sighing, draws his sword. Kṛṣṇa notices and asks why Arjuna is again unsheathing it, indicating a sudden surge of anger or resolve that needs to be checked.