अयुध्यमानस् तुरगान् संयन्तास्मि जनार्दन ॥
इत्य् उक्त्वा पुण्डरीकाक्ष प्रतिज्ञां स्वां न रक्षसि ॥
यद्य् अहं व्यसनी वा स्याम् अशक्तो वा निवारणे ॥
ततस् त्वयैवं कार्यं स्यान् न तु कार्यं मयि स्थिते ॥
सबाणः सधनुश् चाहं ससुरासुरमानवान् ॥
शक्तो लोकान् इमाञ् जेतुं तच् चापि विदितं तव ॥
ayudhyamānas turagān saṃyantāsmi janārdana ||
ity uktvā puṇḍarīkākṣa pratijñāṃ svāṃ na rakṣasi ||
yady ahaṃ vyasanī vā syām aśakto vā nivāraṇe ||
tatas tvayaivaṃ kāryaṃ syān na tu kāryaṃ mayi sthite ||
sabāṇaḥ sadhanuś cāhaṃ sasurāsuramānavān ||
śakto lokān imāñ jetuṃ tac cāpi viditaṃ tava ||
"Having said: 'Not entering battle, I am the charioteer of your horses, O Janardana' — O lotus-eyed one, you do not keep your own vow. If I were in distress or powerless to defend myself, then it would be right for you to do this; but it is not right to do this while I stand firm. I, with arrows and a bow, am capable of subduing these worlds together with gods, asuras, and men — and that too is known to you."
25c361f86272 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
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Arjuna reproaches the Lord for a broken vow — not to enter battle, only to drive the chariot. Wondrous is this boldness of the devotee: he dares to rebuke the Almighty, and the Lord does not grow angry but accepts the rebuke. In this lies a closeness free of fear, only loving directness. But Krishna broke His word not out of neglect but out of love, for the sake of saving His friend — He sets the devotee's good above His own vow. It is significant that the Lord, all-powerful, willingly makes Himself a "breaker of His word" for the sake of the one who loves Him. The verse teaches that closeness with God permits the devotee even a rebuke, for it is held not by fear but by love; that the Lord, to protect His devotee, is ready to set aside even His own pledge; and that this "unfaithfulness to His word" is the highest faithfulness — the faithfulness of love, which is dearer to Him than the letter of any promise.