Shloka 69

वसुदेव–अर्जुन संवादः

Vasudeva–Arjuna Dialogue in the Aftermath of Dvārakā

Devanagari script

हार्दिक्यतनयं पार्थों नगरे मार्तिकावते । भोजराजकतल्नत्रं च हृतशेषं नरोत्तम:,कृतवमकि पुत्रको और भोजराजके परिवारकी अपहरणसे बची हुई स्त्रियोंको नरश्रेष्ठ अर्जुनने मार्तिकावत नगरमें बसा दिया

Transliteration

hārdikyatanayaṁ pārtho nagare mārtikāvate | bhojarājakulatnatraṁ ca hṛtaśeṣaṁ narottamaḥ ||

Translation

నరోత్తముడైన పృథాపుత్ర అర్జునుడు హార్దిక్యుని కుమారుని, అలాగే భోజరాజ వంశంలోని అపహరణ నుండి మిగిలిన స్త్రీలను మార్తికావత నగరంలో స్థిరపరిచెను.

Word by Word

हार्दिक्य-तनयम्the son of Hārdikya (Kṛtavarman’s son)

पार्थःPārtha (Arjuna)

नगरेin the city

मार्तिकावतेin Mārtikāvata (a city/place-name)

भोज-राजक-तल्नत्रम्the Bhoja-royal household/retinue (reading uncertain due to corruption)

चand

हृत-शेषम्what remained after being carried off (the remnant)

नर-उत्तमःthe best of men

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna (Pārtha)

Hārdikya (Kṛtavarman)

Kṛtavarman’s son

Bhoja royal family

women of the Bhoja household

Mārtikāvata (city)

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?

Even after catastrophic violence, dharma requires the strong—especially kṣatriyas—to protect survivors, restore stability, and provide refuge. Arjuna’s resettlement of those left vulnerable models responsibility beyond the battlefield.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the destruction and disorder described in the Mausala Parva, Arjuna takes charge of those connected with the Yādava/Bhoja line who remain—Kṛtavarman’s son and the surviving women of the Bhoja royal household—and establishes them safely in the city of Mārtikāvata.