Shloka 18

अध्याय ८७: कृष्णस्य हस्तिनापुरप्रवेशः

Krishna’s Entry into Hastināpura and Court Reception

Devanagari script

दूतश्न हि हृषीकेश: सम्बन्धी च प्रियश्न नः । अपाप: कौरवेयेषु स कथं बन्धमर्हति

Transliteration

dūtaś ca hi hṛṣīkeśaḥ sambandhī ca priyaś ca naḥ | apāpaḥ kauraveyeṣu sa kathaṃ bandham arhati ||

Translation

毗湿摩波罗衍那说道：“赫利湿凯沙（克里希纳）此刻确是以使者之身前来。他亦是我们所爱之亲族，并未对俱卢之子孙犯下任何过失。在此情形之下，他怎会应当被擒拿囚禁？”

Word by Word

• दूतः: messenger
• दूतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• हृषीकेशः: Hrishikesha (Krishna)
• हृषीकेशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सम्बन्धी: kinsman/relative
• सम्बन्धी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्बन्धिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• प्रियः: dear/beloved
• प्रियः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• नः: of us/our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• अपापः: sinless/blameless
• अपापः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपाप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कौरवेयेषु: among the Kauravas
• कौरवेयेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरवेय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• बन्धम्: bondage/imprisonment
• बन्धम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अर्हति: deserves/is fit for
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Hṛṣīkeśa (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Kauravas (Kauraveyas, descendants of Kuru)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dharma in diplomacy: an envoy—especially a blameless, respected kinsman—should not be harmed or detained. Ethical restraint and respect for diplomatic norms are presented as essential even amid escalating conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

As tensions before the Kurukṣetra war intensify, Kṛṣṇa is coming to the Kauravas as a peace envoy. The speaker argues that since Kṛṣṇa is dear, related, and has done no wrong to the Kauravas, the idea of arresting him is unjustifiable.