Shloka 17

Kirmīra-rākṣasa-saṃgamaḥ (Encounter and Slaying of Kirmīra) | किर्मीरेण सह भीमसेनसमागमः

Devanagari script

क्षेत्रज्ञ: सर्वभूतानामादिरन्तश्न केशव । निधानं तपसां कृष्ण यज्ञस्त्वं च सनातन:,केशव! आप क्षेत्रज्ञ (सबके आत्मा), सम्पूर्ण भूतोंक आदि और अन्त, तपस्याके अधिष्ठान, यज्ञ और सनातन पुरुष हैं

Transliteration

Arjuna uvāca: kṣetrajñaḥ sarvabhūtānām ādir antaś ca Keśava | nidhānaṁ tapasāṁ Kṛṣṇa yajñas tvaṁ ca sanātanaḥ ||

Translation

అర్జునుడు అన్నాడు— ఓ కేశవా! నీవు సమస్త భూతాల క్షేత్రజ్ఞుడు—అంతరాత్మ—వు; నీవే వాటి ఆది, నీవే అంతం. ఓ కృష్ణా! నీవు తపస్సుల నిధానమూ పరమాశ్రయమూ; నీవే యజ్ఞము, నీవే సనాతన పురుషుడు.

Word by Word

क्षेत्रज्ञःknower of the field (Self)

सर्वभूतानाम्of all beings

आदिःbeginning, origin

अन्तःend

चand

केशवO Keshava

निधानम्abode, repository

तपसाम्of austerities

कृष्णO Krishna

यज्ञःsacrifice, yajna

त्वम्you

चand

सनातनःeternal

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Kṛṣṇa

Keśava

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches a theistic-ethical vision in which the divine (Kṛṣṇa) is the inner knower in all beings and the ultimate ground of spiritual disciplines. Tapas and yajña are not merely external acts; they gain legitimacy and purifying power when aligned with the eternal Self that pervades all life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa directly in a hymn-like statement, attributing to him cosmic and spiritual roles—origin and end of beings, the indwelling knower, and the very principle of sacrifice and austerity—thereby expressing reverence and seeking orientation for righteous conduct.