Shloka 7

Jarāsandha-nipātana, rāja-mokṣa, and rājasūya-sāhāyya-prārthanā

Jarāsandha’s fall, liberation of kings, and request for support

Devanagari script

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच कुलकार्य महाबाहो कश्चिदेक: कुलोद्वह: । वहते यस्तन्नियोगाद्‌ वयम भ्युद्यतास्त्वयि

Transliteration

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca | kulakārya mahābāho kaścid ekaḥ kulodvahaḥ | vahate yas tan-niyogād vayam abhyudyatās tvayi ||

Translation

శ్రీకృష్ణుడు పలికెను— మహాబాహో! సమస్త వంశంలో కొన్నిసార్లు ఒక్కరే కులోద్ధారకుడు ఉంటాడు; అతడు కులకార్యభారాన్ని మోసి, అందరి రక్షణ-క్షేమాలను నిర్వహిస్తాడు. అటువంటి మహాత్ముని ఆజ్ఞచేతనే నేడు మేము నిన్ను దండించుటకు উদ্যతులమయ్యాము।

Word by Word

• {'śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca': 'Śrī Kṛṣṇa said', 'kulakārya': 'family duty

• responsibility pertaining to the clan/lineage', 'mahābāho': 'O mighty-armed (epithet of a hero/warrior)', 'kaścit': 'someone

• a certain person', 'ekaḥ': 'one

• single', 'kulodvahaḥ': 'upholder/bearer of the lineage

• one who sustains the family’s honor and obligations', 'vahate': 'bears

• sustains', 'tan-niyogāt': 'by his command/appointment

• due to his injunction', 'vayam': 'we', 'abhyudyatāḥ': 'risen up

• intent upon action', 'tvayi': 'towards you

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames punishment and coercive action as legitimate when grounded in rightful authority and undertaken for the protection of the wider family/community. It emphasizes the ethical idea that a lineage may be upheld by a single responsible leader (kulodvaha), whose injunctions guide collective action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa addresses a heroic figure (“mahābāho”), explaining that their present readiness to punish him is not arbitrary: it is undertaken under the directive of an eminent family-upholder who bears responsibility for the clan’s welfare.