Shloka 31

Kṛṣṇa’s Departure, Auspicious Omens, and the Opening of the Uttaṅka Dialogue (कृष्णप्रयाण-निमित्त-उत्तङ्कसंवाद-प्रारम्भः)

Devanagari script

क्षत्तारं चापि संगृहा पृष्टत्वा कुशलमव्ययम्‌

Transliteration

kṣattāraṃ cāpi saṃgṛhya pṛṣṭvā kuśalam avyayam

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: ثم إنه اقترب أيضًا من حاجب القصر (صاحب الحجرة) وأمسك به، وسأله عن سلامته الدائمة—هل الأمور كلها على ما يرام، وهل هو بمنأى عن الأذى. ويعكس هذا السطر أدب الدارما: أن يُستهلّ الكلام بالاطمئنان على عافية الآخر قبل الخوض في شؤون المرء الخاصة.

Word by Word

क्षत्तारम्the chamberlain/attendant (kṣattā)

चand

अपिalso/even

संगृह्यhaving taken/received (having gathered)

पृष्ट्वाhaving asked

कुशलम्welfare/well-being

अव्ययम्undiminished/unchanged; safe

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

kṣattṛ (chamberlain/attendant)

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 dharmic etiquette: one should begin interactions by respectfully inquiring into another’s welfare, signaling goodwill and non-harm before pursuing one’s own aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

A figure (implied from context) approaches the court officer (kṣattṛ) and first asks about his well-being—an opening gesture of respect and reassurance that all is safe and in order.