Shloka 1

Śālva–Pradyumna Yuddha: Sārathya-kauśala, Astra-pratikāra, Daiva-niyati

Chapter 20

Devanagari script

भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्ण कहते हैं--राजन! आपका राजसूय महायज्ञ समाप्त होनेपर मैं शाल्वसे विमुक्त आनर्तनगर (द्वारका)-में गया

Transliteration

Vāsudeva uvāca—Rājan! tava rājasūya-mahāyajñe samāpte ’haṃ Śālva-se vimuktaḥ Ānartanagaraṃ (Dvārakāṃ) gataḥ.

Translation

భగవాన్ శ్రీకృష్ణుడు పలికెను—రాజా! మీ రాజసూయ మహాయజ్ఞం ముగిసిన తరువాత, శాల్వ భయము నుండి విముక్తుడనై నేను ఆనర్తనగరమైన ద్వారకకు వెళ్లాను.

Word by Word

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कथयति: says/tells
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तव: your/of you
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• राजसूयः: Rājasūya (royal consecration sacrifice)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसूय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महायज्ञः: great sacrifice
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समाप्तः: completed/finished
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाप्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूत्वा: having become/after being
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Gerund (Absolutive)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• शाल्वात्: from Śālva
• शाल्वात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• विमुक्तः: freed/released
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आनर्तनगरम्: the city of the Ānartas (Dvārakā)
• आनर्तनगरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनर्तनगर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्वारकाम्: Dvārakā
• द्वारकाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गतः: gone (went)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गत
• Form: Past participle (kta)

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Rājan (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Rājasūya Mahāyajña
• Śālva
• Ānartanagara (Dvārakā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharmic kingship and social order: a ruler’s legitimacy is ritually affirmed through the Rājasūya, while the protector-king (Kṛṣṇa) returns to safeguard his realm after fulfilling obligations—linking sovereignty, duty, and protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa addresses the king and states that after the completion of the Rājasūya sacrifice, he went back to Ānartanagara/Dvārakā, noting his deliverance from the Śālva-related danger, thereby setting the scene for subsequent events connected with Dvārakā and Śālva.