Mahabharata 16.8.23 — Mausala Parva, Adhyaya 8, Shloka 23
मौसलपर्व — अध्याय ८
Arjuna’s evacuation of Dvārakā, Vasudeva’s rites, and the caravan’s crisis
परिनिर्विण्णचेताश्न शान्तिं नोपलभेडपि च । (देवकीनन्दनं देवं वासुदेवमजं प्रभुम् ।) विना जनार्दनं वीर नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे
parinirviṇṇacetāś ca śāntiṁ nopalabhe 'pi ca | devakīnandanaṁ devaṁ vāsudevam ajaṁ prabhum | vinā janārdanaṁ vīra nāhaṁ jīvitum utsahe ||
నా హృదయం విరక్తి మరియు శోకంతో నిండిపోయింది; నాకు ఏ మాత్రం శాంతి లభించడం లేదు. దేవకీనందనుడు, దేవస్వరూపుడు, అజుడు, ప్రభువు వాసుదేవుడు—ఆ వీర జనార్దనుడు లేక నేను ఇక జీవించదలచుకోను.
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical-spiritual truth that when one’s sustaining guide and refuge (here, Kṛṣṇa as Janārdana/Vāsudeva) is gone, even a heroic person can lose inner steadiness; peace (śānti) is portrayed as rooted not merely in external victory but in alignment with the Divine.
In the Mausala Parva’s aftermath, Arjuna is overwhelmed by sorrow and inner exhaustion. Remembering Kṛṣṇa’s divinity and uniqueness, he confesses that without Janārdana he cannot find peace and does not feel capable of continuing life.
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