Shloka 2

Subhadrā’s Petition to Kṛṣṇa for the Revival of Parīkṣit (अभिमन्युज-प्राणरक्षा-प्रार्थना)

Devanagari script

समयं वाजिमेधस्य विदित्वा पुरुषर्षभ: । यथोक्तो धर्मपुत्रेण प्रव्रजन्‌ स्वपुरी प्रति,उनके द्वारका जाते समय धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिने जैसी बात कही थी, उसके अनुसार अश्वमेध यज्ञका समय निकट जानकर पुरुषोत्तम श्रीकृष्ण पहले ही उपस्थित हो गये

Transliteration

samayaṁ vājimedhasya viditvā puruṣarṣabhaḥ | yathokto dharmaputreṇa pravrajan svapurīṁ prati ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: “Biết rằng thời khắc cử hành lễ Aśvamedha đã đến, bậc trượng phu tối thượng lên đường về thành của mình, làm đúng như lời Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira) đã dặn trước.”

Word by Word

समयम्time, occasion

वाजिमेधस्यof the horse-sacrifice (Aśvamedha)

विदित्वाhaving known

पुरुषर्षभःthe bull among men, best of men

यथोक्तःas stated, as instructed

धर्मपुत्रेणby Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)

प्रव्रजन्departing, setting out

स्वपुरीम्his own city

प्रतिtowards

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)

Svapurī (Dvārakā, implied by context)

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 highlights dharma as reliability and timely action: a noble person honors prior commitments (yathoktaḥ) and supports righteous public rites by arriving at the proper time (samayaṁ), reinforcing ethical leadership after conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

As preparations for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha approach, Kṛṣṇa, having understood the appointed time, proceeds toward his own city in accordance with Yudhiṣṭhira’s earlier words—implying his prompt presence and support for the sacrifice.