Shloka 13

Devanagari script

तथा सम्बन्धकं तुल्यमस्माकं त्वयि माधव । अहं चाभिगत: पूर्व त्वामद्य मधुसूदन

Transliteration

tathā sambandhakaṃ tulyam asmākaṃ tvayi mādhava | ahaṃ cābhigataḥ pūrva tvām adya madhusūdana ||

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说：“同样地，噢摩陀婆，我们与你的纽带亦是同一性质。我先前已来拜见你；而今又再来见你，噢诛灭摩度者。”

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• सम्बन्धकम्: relationship, connection
• सम्बन्धकम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्बन्धक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तुल्यम्: equal, similar
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अस्माकम्: of us, our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Plural

• त्वयि: in/with regard to you
• त्वयि: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Locative, Singular

• माधव: O Mādhava (Krishna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अभिगतः: approached, come to
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-गम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• त्वाम्: you (object)
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• अद्य: today, now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• मधुसूदन: O slayer of Madhu (Krishna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical weight of established relationships: when bonds are mutual and comparable, one may rightly seek counsel or support again, appealing to shared obligation and trust rather than mere advantage.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, the speaker addresses Kṛṣṇa by honorific epithets and states that their connection with him is equally strong; having approached him earlier, he has come again today—signaling renewed diplomatic seeking of Kṛṣṇa’s guidance or assistance.