Shloka 16

Rājagṛhe Magadheśvarasya yuddhāhvānam — Arjunena saṃyamaḥ

The Rājagṛha Challenge and Arjuna’s Restraint

Devanagari script

सहितो वसुदेवेन मातुलेन किरीटिन: । तौ समेत्य कुरुश्रेष्ठ विधिवत्‌ प्रीतिपूर्वकम्‌

Transliteration

sahito vasudevena mātulena kirīṭinaḥ | tau sametya kuruśreṣṭha vidhivat prītipūrvakam ||

Translation

อรชุนผู้สวมมงกุฎ เสด็จไปพร้อมวาสุเทวะผู้เป็นน้าชายฝ่ายมารดา เข้าเฝ้าผู้ประเสริฐแห่งวงศ์กุรุ ทั้งสองได้พบกันโดยถูกต้องตามพิธี ด้วยความรักใคร่และไมตรีจิต

Word by Word

सहितःaccompanied (together)

वसुदेवेनby/with Vasudeva

मातुलेनby/with (his) maternal uncle

किरीटिनःof the diadem-wearer (Arjuna)

तौthose two

समेत्यhaving met / having come together

कुरुश्रेष्ठO best of the Kurus

विधिवत्according to rule / duly

प्रीतिपूर्वकम्with affection / gladly

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Arjuna (Kirīṭin)

Kuru (dynasty)

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?

Even after conflict, dharma is upheld through proper conduct: meeting others with prescribed etiquette (vidhivat) and sincere goodwill (prītipūrvakam). Social harmony is restored not merely by power, but by respectful, rule-guided reconciliation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna, accompanied by his maternal uncle Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa), goes to meet the foremost Kuru figure; the verse highlights that their meeting occurs formally and warmly, emphasizing courteous procedure and affectionate intent.