Shloka 19

भरत-गुहसंवादः

Bharata and Guha: Trust, Hospitality, and the Burden of Grief

Devanagari script

ध्याननिर्धरशैलेन विनिश्श्वसितधातुना।दैन्यपादपसंघेन शोकायासाधिशृङ्गिणा।।2.85.19।।प्रमोहानन्तसत्त्वेन सन्तापौषधिवेणुना।आक्रान्तो दुःखशैलेन महता कैकयीसुतः।।2.85.20।।

Transliteration

dhyānanirdharaśailena viniśśvasitadhātunā |

dainyapādapasaṅghena śokāyāsādhiśṛṅgiṇā ||2.85.19||

pramohānantasattvena santāpauṣadhiveṇunā |

ākrānto duḥkhaśailena mahatā kaikayīsutaḥ ||2.85.20||

Translation

اجتاح ابن كايكَيِي، بهاراتا، جبلٌ عظيم من الأسى: صخوره الصمّاء هي خواطره الغارقة في التأمّل، ومعادنه زفراته الثقيلة، وأحراش أشجاره ذلّه وانكساره، وقممه الشاهقة حزنه وإعياءه؛ وكائناته التي لا تُحصى ذهوله، وأدغال الخيزران وأعشاب الدواء فيه هي لهيبُ العذاب المحرق.

Word by Word

ध्याननिर्धरशैलेनby/with the mountain of contemplation, (cavityless)

विनिःश्वसितधातुनाby the minerals/ores of heaving sighs

दैन्यपादपसंघेनby the multitude of trees of dejection

शोकायासाधिशृङ्गिणाby (that) having peaks of sorrow, fatigue, and distress

Context

O dear friend of my elder brother, your desire to extend hospitality to this large army all alone is indeed noble.

Characters & Entities

Bharata (Kaikeyī-suta)

Kaikeyī

grief (śoka)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse illustrates how devotion to dharma can produce profound inner turmoil when one is linked to adharma (Kaikeyī’s actions); Bharata suffers because he cannot accept unrighteous gain.

What is the narrative situation?

As night deepens, the narration turns inward to Bharata’s state: he is mentally overrun by grief, described through an elaborate mountain-metaphor.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral sensitivity and remorse without guilt: though not the doer of wrong, Bharata feels crushed by the consequences and seeks to restore truth and right order.