Shloka 20

मृगस्वप्नदर्शनम्

The Deer’s Dream-Appeal and the Move to Kāmyaka

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच अजाततशत्रोर्वचनं जी धनंजय: । प्रतिजज्ञे गुरोर्वाक्‍्यं | विमोक्षणम्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! अजातशत्रु युधिष्ठिरका उपर्युक्त वचन सुनकर अर्जुनने अपने बड़े भाईकी आज्ञाके अनुसार कौरवोंको छुड़ानेकी प्रतिज्ञा की

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | ajātaśatror vacanaṃ jī dhanañjayaḥ | pratijajñe guror vākyaṃ vimokṣaṇam |

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: «يا جاناميجايا، لما سمع دَهنَنْجَيا (أرجونا) كلام أجاتَشَترو (يودهيشثيرا)، نذر—طاعةً لأمر أخيه الأكبر—أن يُحقِّق إطلاق سراح الكورافا».

Word by Word

• {'vaiśampāyana uvāca': 'Vaiśampāyana said', 'ajātaśatroḥ': "of Ajātaśatru

• epithet of Yudhiṣṭhira meaning 'one whose enemy is not born'", 'vacanam': 'speech, statement, words', 'jī (je)': 'O (vocative particle), here addressing Janamejaya', 'dhanañjayaḥ': 'Dhanañjaya

• epithet of Arjuna', 'pratijajñe': 'he vowed, he promised, he undertook a pledge', 'guroḥ': "of the elder/teacher

• here in sense of 'elder brother' (Yudhiṣṭhira) as revered authority", 'vākyam': 'command, instruction, utterance', 'vimokṣaṇam': 'release, liberation, setting free'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• Kauravas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dharma expressed as disciplined fidelity to a rightful elder’s instruction: Arjuna binds himself by a vow, showing that ethical action in epic life often takes the form of a consciously accepted promise made for the welfare of others, even when the beneficiaries are rivals or kin.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates to King Janamejaya that Arjuna, after hearing Yudhiṣṭhira’s words, formally promises to carry out his elder brother’s directive—specifically, to secure the release of the Kauravas.