Shloka 13

Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 58 — Saṃjaya’s Audience and Kṛṣṇa’s Deterrent Counsel (संजय-प्रवेशः कृष्णवाक्यं च)

Devanagari script

सत्कृतश्नान्नपाना भ्यामासीनो लब्धसत्क्रिय: । अज्जलिं मूर्थ्नि संधाय तौ संदेशमचोदयम्‌,तत्पश्चात्‌ अन्न और जलके द्वारा मेरा सत्कार किया गया। यथोचित आदर-सत्कार पाकर जब मैं बैठा, तब माथेपर अंजलि जोड़कर मैंने उन दोनोंसे आपका संदेश कह सुनाया

Transliteration

satkṛtaś cānnapānābhyām āsīno labdhasatkriyaḥ | añjaliṃ mūrdhni saṃdhāya tau saṃdeśam acodayam ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا— کھانے اور پانی سے میری حسبِ دستور خاطر تواضع کی گئی۔ مناسب مہمان نوازی پا کر جب میں بیٹھ گیا تو ادب سے سر پر جوڑے ہوئے ہاتھ رکھ کر میں نے اُن دونوں کے سامنے آپ کا پیغام پیش کیا۔

Word by Word

सत्कृतhonoured, well-received

श्नान्नपानाभ्याम्by food and drink

आसीनःseated

लब्धसत्क्रियःhaving received due honour

अञ्जलिम्joined palms (añjali)

मूर्ध्निon the head

सन्धायhaving placed/joined

तौthose two (persons)

सन्देशम्message

अचोदयम्I delivered/communicated (lit. I caused to be conveyed)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

those two (tau)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct in diplomacy: a messenger should be received with proper hospitality, and the messenger should convey the message with humility and formal respect, keeping personal emotion secondary to duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, after being honored with food and drink and seated appropriately, performs a respectful gesture (añjali placed on the head) and then communicates the king’s message to the two persons present, marking a formal moment of diplomatic transmission.