Shloka 20

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनप्रस्थानम् — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure for Forest Life

Devanagari script

स्त्र्यध्यक्षांक्षाब्रवीद्‌ राजा यानानि विविधानि मे | सज्जीक्रियन्तां सर्वाणि शिबिकाशक्ष सहस्रश:,इसके बाद राजाने रनिवासके अध्यक्षोंको आज्ञा दी--'तुम सब लोग हमारे लिये भाँति- भाँतिके वाहन और पालकियोंको हजारोंकी संख्यामें तैयार करो

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | stryadhyakṣān kṣābravīd rājā yānāni vividhāni me | sajjīkriyantāṁ sarvāṇi śibikāś ca sahasraśaḥ ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: ثم خاطب الملكُ المشرفين على جناح النساء وأمر: «لتُعَدّ لي شتّى وسائل الركوب: مركبات على اختلافها، ومحامل (هَودَج/كُجّاوَة) بالآلاف.»

Word by Word

• स्त्री-अध्यक्षान्: the superintendents of the women's quarters
• स्त्री-अध्यक्षान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री-अध्यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Anadyatana-bhuta), 3rd, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यानानि: vehicles
• यानानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विविधानि: various, diverse
• विविधानि: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• मे: of/for me, my
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• सज्जी-क्रियन्ताम्: let (them) be made ready / be prepared
• सज्जी-क्रियन्ताम्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: सज्जी-√कृ
• Form: Imperative (Vidhi-ling/lot), 3rd, Plural, Atmanepada (passive sense)

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• शिबिकाः: palanquins
• शिबिकाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिका
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

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

• सहस्रशः: by thousands; in thousands
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस्

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• the king (rājā)
• superintendents of the women’s quarters (strī-adhyakṣa)
• vehicles (yāna)
• palanquins (śibikā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in moments of personal transition, a ruler is expected to act with order, foresight, and propriety—ensuring that necessary arrangements are made without confusion, reflecting disciplined governance aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the king issues instructions to the officials in charge of the inner quarters to prepare many kinds of conveyances and large numbers of palanquins, indicating a major movement or departure requiring extensive logistical preparation.