Shloka 63

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिर उदाच यस्य नागसहस्रेण शतसंख्येन वै बलम्‌ । सो<थयं नारीं व्यपाश्रित्य शेते राजा गतासुवत्‌,युधिष्ठिरने कहा--ओह! जिसमें एक लाख हाथियोंके समान बल था, वे ही ये राजा धृतराष्ट्र आज प्राणहीन-से होकर स्त्रीका सहारा लिये सो रहे हैं

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca yasya nāgasahasreṇa śatasaṅkhyena vai balam | so 'thāyaṃ nārīṃ vyapāśritya śete rājā gatāsuvat ||

Translation

قال يودهيشثيرا: «وا أسفاه! ذاك الذي كانت قوته تُعدّ كقوة مئة ألف فيل—ها هو الملك دْهْرِتَرَاشْتْرَة الآن مضطجعٌ كأنه بلا روح، لا يستند إلا إلى الاحتماء بامرأة. هكذا يقلب الزمانُ الأحوال: تذوي القوة والسلطان، وتحلّ التبعية محلّ الكبرياء.»

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

उवाचsaid/spoke

यस्यwhose/of whom

नागसहस्रेणby/with a thousand elephants

शतसंख्येनby/with a count of a hundred (i.e., hundredfold)

वैindeed

बलम्strength

सःhe/that (man)

अथthen/now

अयम्this (one)

नारीम्a woman

व्यपाश्रित्यhaving resorted to/taken refuge in

शेतेlies/sleeps

राजाthe king

गतासुवत्as if lifeless (like one whose life has gone)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Gāndhārī

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?

The verse highlights impermanence and the humbling power of time: even immense physical strength and royal status cannot prevent decline. Ethically, it invites compassion rather than triumphalism, and encourages detachment from pride in power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira observes Dhṛtarāṣṭra in his weakened state during the forest-dwelling phase (āśramavāsa). Once famed for great strength, the old king now lies dependent on Gāndhārī for support, prompting Yudhiṣṭhira’s reflection.