Shloka 153

कुरुक्षेत्रे सेनानिवेशवृत्तान्तः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra Questions Saṃjaya on the Deployed Armies

Devanagari script

संकर्षणानुज: श्रीमान्‌ महाबुद्धिर्जनार्दन: । अर्जुनके भी नेता और उनके घोड़ोंके भी नियन्ता हुए बलरामजीके छोटे भाई परम बुद्धिमान श्रीमान्‌ भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्ण

Transliteration

saṅkarṣaṇānujāḥ śrīmān mahābuddhir janārdanaḥ | arjunake bhī netā ca tasya hayānāṃ ca niyantābhūt balarāmajiṣṭhānujāḥ parama-buddhimān śrīmān bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇaḥ ||

Translation

సంకర్షణుడు (బలరాముడు) యొక్క అనుజుడు, శ్రీమంతుడు మహాబుద్ధిమంతుడైన జనార్దనుడు—భగవాన్ శ్రీకృష్ణుడు—అర్జునునికి మార్గదర్శకుడుగా, అతని అశ్వాలకు నియంతగా నిలిచెను; అనగా ఆయనే సారథి అయ్యెను.

Word by Word

• संकर्षण-अनुजः: younger brother of Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma)
• संकर्षण-अनुजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुज (प्रातिपदिक); संकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीमान्: splendid, illustrious
• श्रीमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबुद्धिः: of great intellect
• महाबुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa)
• जनार्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma)
• Janārdana (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Arjuna
• horses (of Arjuna’s chariot)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True leadership can express itself as disciplined service: Kṛṣṇa, though supreme and illustrious, accepts the humble role of charioteer—guiding Arjuna and restraining the horses—symbolizing that wisdom and self-control should direct power toward dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Kṛṣṇa (Balarāma’s younger brother) taking charge as Arjuna’s charioteer—both guiding Arjuna and controlling the horses—setting the stage for Kṛṣṇa’s active, directing presence in the coming conflict.