Shloka 14

Virāṭanagara-nivāsa-nirṇaya

Decision to Reside in Virāṭa’s City

Devanagari script

एतेषां कतमो राजन्‌ निवासस्तव रोचते । यत्र वत्स्यामहे राजन्‌ संवत्सरमिमं वयम्‌,राजन! इनमेंसे कौन-सा राष्ट्र आपको निवास करनेके लिये पसंद है? जिसमें हम सब लोग इस वर्ष निवास करें

Transliteration

eteṣāṁ katamo rājan nivāsas tava rocate | yatra vatsyāmahe rājan saṁvatsaram imaṁ vayam ||

Translation

অৰ্জুনে ক’লে—হে ৰাজন! এইবোৰৰ ভিতৰত কোন ৰাজ্য আপোনাৰ বাসৰ বাবে পছন্দ? কওক ৰাজন, এই এটা বছৰ আমি ক’ত থাকিম?

Word by Word

• एतेषाम्: of these
• एतेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, plural

• कतमः: which (one) (among many)
• कतमः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: कतम
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• निवासः: dwelling, residence
• निवासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवास
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तव: your
• तव: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, genitive, singular

• रोचते: pleases, is liked
• रोचते: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुच्
• Form: present, 3rd, singular, ātmanepada

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• वत्स्यामहे: we shall dwell
• वत्स्यामहे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: simple future, 1st, plural, ātmanepada

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• संवत्सरम्: a year
• संवत्सरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, nominative, plural

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• King (addressed person)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prudent counsel and collective responsibility: before undertaking a risky year-long stay, the group seeks the king’s preference, emphasizing respectful consultation, strategic choice of refuge, and disciplined planning in adversity.

What is happening in the narrative?

At the outset of the Virāṭa episode, Arjuna addresses a king and asks which among the available realms would be suitable for residence, since they intend to live there for a full year—setting up the decision about where to spend the period of concealed living.