संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
क्षत्रियः बाहु-वीर्यः तुkṣatriyaḥ bāhu-vīryaḥ tuA kshatriya is valorous in his arms,
न तथा वाक्य-वीर्यवान्na tathā vākya-vīryavānbut not so mighty in speech;
अप्रगल्भम् वचः तस्यapragalbham vacaḥ tasyatimid [modest] is his speech —
तस्मात् बार्हद्रथे स्मृतम्tasmāt bārhadrathe smṛtamtherefore [scant words] is deemed fitting before you, O son of Brihadratha;
स्व-वीर्यम् क्षत्रियाणाम् चsva-vīryam kṣatriyāṇām cathe innate valor of kshatriyas
बाह्वोः धाता न्यवेशयत्bāhvoḥ dhātā nyaveśayatthe Creator placed in [their] arms;
तत् दिदृक्षसि चेत् राजन्tat didṛkṣasi cet rājanthat, if you wish to see, O king,
द्रष्टा असि अद्य न संशयःdraṣṭā asi adya na saṃśayaḥyou shall see it today, no doubt;
अद्वारेण रिपोः गेहम्advāreṇa ripoḥ gehamnot through the gate — into the house of an enemy,
द्वारेण सुहृदः गृहम्dvāreṇa suhṛdaḥ gṛhamthrough the gate — into the house of a friend
प्रविशन्ति सदा सन्तःpraviśanti sadā santaḥthe good always enter;
द्वारम् नः वर्जितम् ततःdvāram naḥ varjitam tataḥthe gate, therefore, we have shunned;
कार्य-वन्तः गृहान् एत्यkārya-vantaḥ gṛhān etyahaving come to the house on business,
शत्रुतः न अर्हणाम् वयम्śatrutaḥ na arhaṇām vayamwe do not [accept] honor from an enemy —
प्रतिगृह्णीम तत् विद्धिpratigṛhṇīma tat viddhiwe do not accept it; know this:
एतत् नः शाश्वतम् व्रतम्etat naḥ śāśvatam vratamthis is our eternal vow."
क्षत्रियोkṣatriyooriginal form "kṣatriyo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
बाहुवीर्यस्bāhuvīryasoriginal form "bāhuvīryas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वाक्यवीर्यवान्vākyavīryavānoriginal form "vākyavīryavān", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अप्रगल्भंapragalbhaṃoriginal form "apragalbhaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वचस्vacasoriginal form "vacas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तस्माद्tasmādoriginal form "tasmād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्ववीर्यंsvavīryaṃoriginal form "svavīryaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
क्षत्रियाणांkṣatriyāṇāṃoriginal form "kṣatriyāṇāṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
बाह्वोर्bāhvororiginal form "bāhvor", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तद्tadoriginal form "tad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चेद्cedoriginal form "ced", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
द्रष्टास्य्draṣṭāsyoriginal form "draṣṭāsy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
रिपोर्ripororiginal form "ripor", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
गेहंgehaṃoriginal form "gehaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सुहृदोsuhṛdooriginal form "suhṛdo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सन्तोsantooriginal form "santo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
द्वारंdvāraṃoriginal form "dvāraṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नोnooriginal form "no", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वर्जितंvarjitaṃoriginal form "varjitaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कार्यवन्तोkāryavantooriginal form "kāryavanto", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शत्रुतोśatrutooriginal form "śatruto", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नार्हणांnārhaṇāṃoriginal form "nārhaṇāṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तद्tadoriginal form "tad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एतन्etanoriginal form "etan", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शाश्वतंśāśvataṃoriginal form "śāśvataṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Here Krishna shows perfect honesty even within disguise: by entering not through the gate, they openly declare themselves enemies, and therefore refuse the foe's hospitality. It is telling that the noble do not accept honor from one they have come to oppose: the truth of a relation matters more than courteous appearance. Thus the verse shows forthrightness even within enmity; what follows is the enemy recognized, and the challenge to battle draws near.