Shloka 20

Devanagari script

कृतार्थ वाकृतार्थ च त्वां वयं मधुसूदन । यतामहे पूजयितुं दाशाह न च शकक्‍्नुम:,“दशाहनन्दन मधुसूदन! आपका उद्देश्य सफल हो या न हो, हमलोग तो आपके सम्मानका प्रयत्न करते ही हैं; किंतु हमें सफलता नहीं मिल रही है

Transliteration

kṛtārthaṁ vākṛtārthaṁ ca tvāṁ vayaṁ madhusūdana | yatāmahe pūjayituṁ daśāhā na ca śaknumaḥ ||

Translation

“ఓ మధుసూదన! మీ కార్యం సిద్ధించునా లేక అసిద్ధమగునా, ఓ దాశార్హ! మేము మిమ్మల్ని పూజించి గౌరవించుటకు యత్నిస్తున్నాము; కాని చేయలేకపోతున్నాము.”

Word by Word

कृतार्थम्one who has achieved the purpose; successful

अकृतार्थम्one who has not achieved the purpose; unsuccessful

चand

त्वाम्you

वयम्we

मधुसूदनO slayer of Madhu (Krishna)

यतामहेwe strive; we endeavor

पूजयितुम्to honor; to worship

दाशार्हO descendant of the Dasharhas (Krishna)

नnot

चand

शक्नुमःwe are able; we can

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)

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?

True respect is not conditional on success; one should honor a righteous envoy or benefactor for the intention and effort aligned with dharma, even if circumstances prevent the desired outcome.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war diplomacy setting, the speaker addresses Kṛṣṇa (Madhusūdana), acknowledging that regardless of whether his purpose is fulfilled, they are trying to honor him properly, but feel unable to do so adequately.