Shloka 23

Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel

Devanagari script

समेत्य सर्वे सहिता: सुहद्धि- स्तेषां विनाशाय यतेयुरेव । दुर्योधनस्थापि मतं यथाव- न्न ज्ञायते कि नु करिष्यतीति

Transliteration

sametya sarve sahitāḥ suhṛdbhiḥ teṣāṁ vināśāya yatayerur eva | duryodhanasyāpi mataṁ yathāvan na jñāyate kiṁ nu kariṣyatīti ||

Translation

Kṛṣṇa nói rằng: khi tất cả đã tụ hội cùng những đồng minh thiện chí, họ nhất định sẽ nỗ lực để tiêu diệt kẻ thù; vì thế đừng xem họ là yếu. Tuy vậy, không thể lập tức quyết định chắc chắn về chiến tranh, bởi ngay cả ý định của Duryodhana cũng chưa rõ ràng—rốt cuộc hắn sẽ chọn làm gì.

Word by Word

• समेत्य: having assembled
• समेत्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-इ (इङ्)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थक अव्यय), कर्तरि, having come together

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सहिता: united, together
• सहिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुहृद्भिः: with well-wishers/friends
• सुहृद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• विनाशाय: for destruction
• विनाशाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• यतेयुः: would strive / should endeavor
• यतेयुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (यतते)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada

• एव: indeed, certainly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• दुर्योधनस्य: of Duryodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• मतम्: opinion, intention
• मतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यथावत्: properly, exactly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ज्ञायते: is known / becomes known
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada, passive-like usage: 'is known'

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नु: indeed? (interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु

• करिष्यति: will do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Future (लृट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrīkṛṣṇa
• Duryodhana
• suhṛd (well-wishing allies/friends)
• śatru (enemies, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Do not underestimate a united side supported by loyal well-wishers; at the same time, act with prudence because ethical and political decisions—especially war—require clarity about the opponent’s resolve and intentions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa assesses the situation: the opposing party, once gathered with allies, will actively work to destroy their enemies, but a definitive commitment to war is premature since Duryodhana’s exact decision is not yet known.