Shloka 48
Vāg-yuddha and Nimitta-darśana before the Gadāyuddha
Verbal Duel and Omens
तेषां मध्ये महाबाहु: श्रीमान् केशवपूर्वज: । उपविष्टो महाराज पूज्यमान: समन्ततः
teṣāṁ madhye mahābāhuḥ śrīmān keśava-pūrvajaḥ | upaviṣṭo mahārāja pūjyamānaḥ samantataḥ ||
Wika ni Sañjaya: “O Hari, sa gitna nila ay nakaupo ang marilag na makapangyarihan ang bisig—ang nakatatandang kapatid ni Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)—na pinararangalan mula sa lahat ng panig.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a setting dominated by conflict and political calculation, the text highlights the enduring social-ethical order of honoring revered elders and eminent figures. Respect (pūjā) functions as a stabilizing dharmic norm within a volatile wartime assembly.
Sañjaya describes a royal gathering in which Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa’s elder brother, is seated prominently among the kings and is being honored from all sides, emphasizing his stature and the deference shown to him in the council-like setting.