Shloka 3
Vāsudeva’s Upadeśa: The Inner Enemy and the Indra–Vṛtra Precedent (आत्मशत्रु-बोधः; इन्द्र-वृत्रोपाख्यानम्)
निर्विण्णमनसं पार्थ ज्ञात्वा वृष्णिकुलोदह: | आश्वासयन् धर्मसुतं प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | nirviṇṇamanasaṃ pārtha jñātvā vṛṣṇikulodvahaḥ | āśvāsayan dharmasutaṃ pravaktum upacakrame ||
毗舍波耶那说：得知帕尔他（尤提士提罗）心陷沮丧，疲惫厌倦——尤以对王权为甚——克里希纳，这位弗利什尼族中最卓越者，便开始抚慰法之子，并开口说道。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a key ethical tension: after catastrophic violence among relatives, even a righteous ruler may feel revulsion toward power. Dharma is not merely personal purity or withdrawal; it also includes steadiness, counsel, and the responsible acceptance of duty. Kṛṣṇa’s role begins here as a moral stabilizer—redirecting grief into principled action.
Yudhiṣṭhira has become deeply dejected and disinclined toward ruling in the aftermath of the war and the deaths of kin. Recognizing this inner collapse, Kṛṣṇa—described as the foremost of the Vṛṣṇis—reassures him and begins a speech meant to restore his resolve and clarify his dharmic obligations.