Shloka 17

Kuntī’s Retrospective Uddharṣaṇa and Renunciatory Resolve (कुन्त्युद्धर्षण-प्रत्याख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

निवेदयामास तदा जन तन्नामगोत्रत: । युधिष्ठिरो नरपति: स चैन प्रत्यपूजयत्‌,उस समय स्वयं राजा युधिष्ठिरने एक-एक व्यक्तिका नाम और गोत्र बताकर परिचय दिया और परिचय पाकर धृतराष्ट्रने उन सबका वाणीद्वारा सत्कार किया

Transliteration

nivedayāmāsa tadā jana tan-nāma-gotrataḥ | yudhiṣṭhiro nara-patiḥ sa cainān pratyapūjayat ||

Translation

عندئذٍ عرّف الملك يودهيشثيرا الناس واحدًا واحدًا، ذاكِرًا اسم كلّ امرئ ونَسَبه (غوتره). فلما عرفهم دْهْرِتَراشْتْرَ استقبلهم بكلمات مهذّبة، وأكرمهم على مقتضى الأصول.

Word by Word

निवेदयामासreported, made known

तदाthen

जनःthe person/attendant (one man)

तत्that (information)

नामname

गोत्रतःby lineage / as to clan

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

नरपतिःking

सःhe

चand

एनम्him

प्रत्यपूजयत्honoured, received respectfully

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even after devastating conflict, dharma expresses itself through basic ethical conduct—proper introduction, recognition of identity and lineage, and respectful reception. Courtesy and honoring others (especially elders and guests) remain duties that sustain social harmony.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira formally identifies the assembled persons to Dhṛtarāṣṭra by their names and gotras. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, upon knowing who they are, offers them verbal honor and welcome.