Shloka 8
Arjuna’s request to Krishna and the opening of the Kāśyapa–Brāhmaṇa mokṣa discourse (Āśvamedhika-parva 16)
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु तं कृष्ण: फाल्गुन॑ प्रत्यभाषत । परिष्वज्य महातेजा वचन वदतां वर:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्! अर्जुनके ऐसा कहनेपर वक्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ महातेजस्वी भगवान् श्रीकृष्णने उन्हें गलेसे लगाकर इस प्रकार उत्तर दिया
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: evam uktas tu taṃ Kṛṣṇaḥ Phālgunaṃ pratyabhāṣata | pariṣvajya mahātejā vacanaṃ vadatāṃ varaḥ ||
ویشَمپاین نے کہا—اے راجن! ارجن کے یوں کہنے پر، گفتار میں سب سے برتر اور عظیم جلال والے شری کرشن نے فالگُن کو گلے لگا کر اس طرح جواب دیا۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical instruction is most effective when joined with empathy: Kṛṣṇa’s embrace signals reassurance and responsibility, preparing Arjuna to receive guidance not merely as command but as caring counsel aligned with dharma.
After Arjuna speaks, Kṛṣṇa responds. Before speaking, he embraces Arjuna (Phālguna), and then begins his reply—marking a shift from Arjuna’s statement to Kṛṣṇa’s authoritative yet affectionate counsel.