Mahabharata 1.183.3–4

Vaivāhika-parva (kṛṣṇa-darśana) (The Arrival of Kṛṣṇa)1.183.3–4

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Mahabharata · 1.183.3–4

॥

Devanāgarī

तत्रोपविष्टं पृथुदीर्घबाहुं; ददर्श कृष्णः सहरौहिणेयः ॥
अजातशत्रुं परिवार्य तांश् च; उपोपविष्टाञ् ज्वलनप्रकाशान् ॥
ततो ऽब्रवीद् वासुदेवो ऽभिगम्य; कुन्तीसुतं धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठम् ॥
कृष्णो ऽहम् अस्मीति निपीड्य पादौ; युधिष्ठिरस्याजमीढस्य राज्ञः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

tatropaviṣṭaṃ pṛthudīrghabāhuṃ; dadarśa kṛṣṇaḥ saharauhiṇeyaḥ ||
ajātaśatruṃ parivārya tāṃś ca; upopaviṣṭāñ jvalanaprakāśān ||
tato 'bravīd vāsudevo 'bhigamya; kuntīsutaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ variṣṭham ||
kṛṣṇo 'ham asmīti nipīḍya pādau; yudhiṣṭhirasyājamīḍhasya rājñaḥ ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

तत्र उपविष्टं पृथुदीर्घबाहुं ददर्श कृष्णः सहरौहिणेयःtatra upaviṣṭaṃ pṛthudīrghabāhuṃ dadarśa kṛṣṇaḥ saharauhiṇeyaḥthere, seated, broad and long-armed, Krishna together with the son of Rohini saw,

अजातशत्रुं परिवार्य तान् च उपोपविष्टान् ज्वलनप्रकाशान्ajātaśatruṃ parivārya tān ca upopaviṣṭān jvalanaprakāśānAjatashatru [Yudhishthira], surrounded by those [brothers] seated nearby, radiant as fires;

ततः अब्रवीत् वासुदेवः अभिगम्य कुन्तीसुतं धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठम्tataḥ abravīt vāsudevaḥ abhigamya kuntīsutaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ variṣṭhamthen Vasudeva, approaching, said to the son of Kunti, the foremost upholder of dharma,

कृष्णः अहम् अस्मि इति निपीड्य पादौ युधिष्ठिरस्य आजमीढस्य राज्ञःkṛṣṇaḥ aham asmi iti nipīḍya pādau yudhiṣṭhirasya ājamīḍhasya rājñaḥ"I am Krishna" — falling at the feet of Yudhishthira, king [of the line] of Ajamidha;

तत्रोपविष्टंtatropaviṣṭaṃoriginal form "tatropaviṣṭaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

तांश्tāṃśoriginal form "tāṃś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

उपोपविष्टाञ्upopaviṣṭāñoriginal form "upopaviṣṭāñ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ततोtatooriginal form "tato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ऽब्रवीद्'bravīdoriginal form "'bravīd", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

वासुदेवोvāsudevooriginal form "vāsudevo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ऽभिगम्य'bhigamyaoriginal form "'bhigamya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कृष्णोkṛṣṇooriginal form "kṛṣṇo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

ऽहम्'hamoriginal form "'ham", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

अस्मीतिasmītioriginal form "asmīti", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

युधिष्ठिरस्याजमीढस्यyudhiṣṭhirasyājamīḍhasyaoriginal form "yudhiṣṭhirasyājamīḍhasya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

Translation

"There Krishna, together with Balarama, saw the broad and long-armed Ajatashatru sitting, surrounded by his brothers seated nearby, radiant as fires. And Vasudeva, approaching, said to the son of Kunti, the foremost upholder of dharma: 'I am Krishna' — falling at the feet of King Yudhishthira of the line of Ajamidha."

Commentary

Here the Lord shows unspeakable humility, falling at the feet of His devotee. It is significant that Krishna, the Supreme Personality, bows to the feet of Yudhishthira: the Lord honors His devotee above Himself. Herein lies the wondrous truth of bhakti: God, above all, willingly humbles Himself before one who loves Him, and there is no higher honor for a devotee than the bow of the Lord Himself. Thus the scripture shows Krishna's humility as the seal of His love; and by falling at the feet of the king of dharma, He exalts devotion above all greatness.

Version

995668a1dc82 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:44:41 PM UTC

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