SanskritIASTMeaning
एवम् उक्तः ततः कृष्णःevam uktaḥ tataḥ kṛṣṇaḥThus addressed, then Krishna
प्रत्युवाच महा-मनाःpratyuvāca mahā-manāḥreplied, the great-hearted,
स्निग्ध-गम्भीरया वाचाsnigdha-gambhīrayā vācāwith a gentle, deep
वाक्यम् वाक्य-विशारदःvākyam vākya-viśāradaḥvoice, skilled in speech:
स्नातक-व्रतिनः राजन्snātaka-vratinaḥ rājan"Snataka-vowed, O king, are
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रियाः विशःbrāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyāḥ viśaḥbrahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas;
विशेष-नियमाः च एषाम्viśeṣa-niyamāḥ ca eṣāmspecial rules for them
अविशेषाः च सन्ति उतaviśeṣāḥ ca santi utaand general ones also exist;
विशेष-वान् च सततम्viśeṣa-vān ca satatamand [one who keeps] the special [rules] always,
क्षत्रियः श्रियम् अर्छतिkṣatriyaḥ śriyam archatia kshatriya, attains fortune [Shri];
पुष्पवत्सु ध्रुवा श्रीः चpuṣpavatsu dhruvā śrīḥ cain those who wear flowers Shri is steadfast,
पुष्पवन्तः ततः वयम्puṣpavantaḥ tataḥ vayamtherefore we wear flowers."
उक्तस्uktasoriginal form "uktas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
महामनाःmahāmanāḥoriginal form "mahāmanāḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्निग्धगम्भीरयाsnigdhagambhīrayāoriginal form "snigdhagambhīrayā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वाक्यंvākyaṃoriginal form "vākyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वाक्यविशारदःvākyaviśāradaḥoriginal form "vākyaviśāradaḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्नातकव्रतिनोsnātakavratinooriginal form "snātakavratino", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
क्षत्रियाkṣatriyāoriginal form "kṣatriyā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विशेषनियमाश्viśeṣaniyamāśoriginal form "viśeṣaniyamāś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चैषाम्caiṣāmoriginal form "caiṣām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अविशेषाश्aviśeṣāśoriginal form "aviśeṣāś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सन्त्य्santyoriginal form "santy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विशेषवांश्viśeṣavāṃśoriginal form "viśeṣavāṃś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सततंsatataṃoriginal form "satataṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
श्रीश्śrīśoriginal form "śrīś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पुष्पवन्तस्puṣpavantasoriginal form "puṣpavantas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ततोtatooriginal form "tato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Here Krishna answers his enemy calmly and courteously — 'in a gentle, deep voice.' It is telling that the Lord does not meet harshness with insolence: even toward a foe his word remains gracious and measured. Thus the verse shows composure and dignity in speech; what follows concerns the valor of the kshatriya's arms.