Shloka 18

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १५१: कृष्णस्य कौरव-अवज्ञा-निर्णयः तथा पाण्डव-योगाज्ञा

Krishna on the Kauravas’ Rejection of Counsel; Pandava Readiness Ordered

Devanagari script

चरितन्रह्मचर्यास्ते सोमपा भूरिदक्षिणा: । जयाय पाण्दुपुत्राणां समाजम्मुर्महीक्षित:,जिन्होंने यथासमय ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतका पालन, यज्ञोंमें सोमरसका पान तथा प्रचुर दक्षिणाओंका दान किया था, ऐसे भूपालगण पाण्डवोंकी विजयके लिये कुरुक्षेत्रमें पधारे

Transliteration

carita-brahmacaryās te somapā bhūri-dakṣiṇāḥ | jayāya pāṇḍu-putrāṇāṁ samājam ūrm-mahīkṣitaḥ ||

Translation

บรรดากษัตริย์ผู้ได้ประพฤติพรหมจรรย์ตามกาล ได้ดื่มโสมในพิธียัญ และได้ถวายทักษิณาอย่างอุดม ต่างพากันมาชุมนุม ณ กุรุเกษตร เพื่อชัยชนะของโอรสแห่งปาณฑุ

Word by Word

चरितब्रह्मचर्याःthose who have observed brahmacarya

तेthose

सोमपाःSoma-drinkers (performers of Soma-sacrifices)

भूरिदक्षिणाःhaving abundant sacrificial gifts (fees)

जयायfor victory

पाण्डुपुत्राणाम्of the sons of Pāṇḍu (the Pāṇḍavas)

समाजम्assembly; gathering

ऊर्महीक्षितःgreat kings (earth-rulers)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍuputrāḥ (Pāṇḍavas)

Kurukṣetra

Soma

dakṣiṇā (sacrificial gifts)

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?

The verse links political and military support to dharmic credentials: rulers who practiced self-restraint (brahmacarya) and upheld sacrificial generosity (Soma rites with abundant dakṣiṇā) align themselves with the righteous cause, suggesting that legitimate power is strengthened by discipline and giving.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the war approaches, many kings renowned for vows, sacrificial participation, and generosity gather at Kurukṣetra, forming an assembly with the expressed aim of securing victory for the Pāṇḍavas.