Shloka 8

गान्धारी-प्रशमनम् — Pacification of Gāndhārī and Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel at Hāstinapura

Devanagari script

ततो गाण्डीवधन्वानमभ्यभाषत केशव: । स्थित: प्रियहिते नित्यमतीव भरतर्षभ

Transliteration

tato gāṇḍīvadhanvānam abhyabhāṣata keśavaḥ | sthitaḥ priyahite nityam atīva bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

అప్పుడు కేశవుడు గాండీవధారి అర్జునుని ఉద్దేశించి పలికెను—ఓ భరతశ్రేష్ఠా, నిత్యము ప్రియమునకును హితమునకును నిలిచియుండువాడా!

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

गाण्डीवधन्वानम्Arjuna (the bearer of the Gāṇḍīva bow)

अभ्यभाषतspoke to, addressed

केशवःKeśava (Kṛṣṇa)

स्थितःstanding, abiding

प्रियहितेin what is dear and beneficial (in the beloved's welfare)

नित्यम्always

अतीवexceedingly, very

भरतर्षभO bull among the Bharatas (best of the Bharatas)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

Gāṇḍīvadhanvan (Arjuna)

Gāṇḍīva

Bharata (dynastic reference)

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 the ideal of counsel grounded in true welfare (hita) rather than mere pleasantness (priya). Kṛṣṇa is portrayed as one who remains steady in seeking what is genuinely beneficial, a key ethical standard for guidance during crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) begins to address Arjuna, identified by his famed bow Gāṇḍīva. It marks a transition into Kṛṣṇa’s speech—strategic and moral guidance within the ongoing battle context of the Śalya Parva.