Shloka 23

Chapter 15: Counsel on Initiative vs. Renunciation in the Rajasuya Project (सभापर्व, अध्याय १५)

Devanagari script

क्षत्रिय: शस्त्रमरणो यदा भवति सत्कृत: । ततः सम मागधं संख्ये प्रतिबाधेम यद्‌ वयम्‌,क्षत्रिय जब युद्धमें अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंद्वारा मारा जाता है, तब यह उसका सत्कार है; अतः हमलोग जरासंधको द्वन्द-युद्धमें मार डालें

Transliteration

kṣatriyaḥ śastramaraṇo yadā bhavati satkṛtaḥ | tataḥ saṃ māgadhaṃ saṅkhye pratibādhema yad vayam ||

Translation

క్షత్రియుడు యుద్ధంలో ఆయుధాల చేత మరణిస్తే అదే అతనికి గౌరవం. కాబట్టి మనం రణరంగంలో ద్వంద్వయుద్ధంలో మగధరాజు (జరాసంధుడు)ను ఎదుర్కొని సంహరిద్దాం.

Word by Word

क्षत्रियःa Kshatriya (warrior)

शस्त्रमरणःone whose death is by weapons

यदाwhen

भवतिbecomes / is

सत्कृतःhonoured, duly respected

ततःtherefore / then

सम्together; completely (prefix-like usage)

मागधम्the Magadhan (Jarāsandha)

संख्येin battle

प्रतिबाधेमwe should oppose/repel; (contextually) we should subdue

यत्that / since / inasmuch as

वयम्we

Speaker

कृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kṛṣṇa

Jarāsandha (Māgadha)

kṣatriya (warrior class)

śastra (weapons)

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?

Kṛṣṇa frames a warrior’s death by weapons in rightful battle as an honour (satkāra), expressing the Mahābhārata’s kṣatriya-dharma ideal that courage and acceptance of battle-death, when aligned with duty, is not disgrace but esteem.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa urges his side to engage the Magadhan ruler Jarāsandha directly in battlefield single combat, arguing that such a confrontation accords with warrior ethics and that defeating him in a duel is the appropriate course.