Shloka 19

कुन्तीनिवर्तनप्रयत्नः तथा वननिवासप्रारम्भः

Attempt to Dissuade Kuntī; Commencement of Forest Residence

Devanagari script

योधेषु वाप्याश्रममण्डलं त॑ मुक्त्वा निविष्टेषु विमुच्य पत्रम्‌ । स्त्रीवृद्धबाले च सुसंनिविष्टे यथा्हतस्तान्‌ कुशलान्यपृच्छत्‌

Transliteration

yodheṣu vāpy āśrama-maṇḍalaṁ taṁ muktvā niviṣṭeṣu vimucya patram | strī-vṛddha-bāle ca su-saṁniviṣṭe yathāhatas tān kuśalāny apṛcchat |

Translation

বৈশম্পায়ন বললেন—যোদ্ধারা আশ্রম-মণ্ডলের সীমানা অতিক্রম করে কিছু দূরে থেমে রথ-যান খুলে শিবির স্থাপন করল; আর নারী, বৃদ্ধ ও শিশুরা শিবিরে স্বচ্ছন্দে বসবাস করতে লাগল। তখন রাজা ধৃতরাষ্ট্র পাণ্ডবদের সঙ্গে মিলিত হয়ে বিধিমতো তাদের কুশল-সংবাদ জিজ্ঞাসা করলেন—সবই কি মঙ্গলময়?

Word by Word

• योधेषु: among the warriors/soldiers
• योधेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• वा: or/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• आश्रममण्डलम्: the hermitage-enclosure/precinct
• आश्रममण्डलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रममण्डल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मुक्त्वा: having left/abandoned
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• निविष्टेषु: when (they were) encamped/settled
• निविष्टेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-विश्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• विमुच्य: having unyoked/released
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मुच्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• पत्रम्: wings/feathers; (contextually) harness/gear (uncertain reading)
• पत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्त्री: women
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वृद्ध: the aged/elders
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बाले: in/among the children (dual form; likely part of a list)
• बाले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सुसंनिविष्टे: when (they were) well-settled/comfortably lodged
• सुसंनिविष्टे: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सु-सं-नि-विश्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Dual

• यथा: as/when
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• हत: struck/afflicted
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कुशलानि: welfare/well-being
• कुशलानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अपृच्छत्: asked/inquired
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Pāṇḍavas
• warriors/soldiers
• āśrama-maṇḍala (hermitage precinct)
• women
• elderly
• children
• vehicles/conveyances

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even after conflict, dharma expresses itself through restraint and civility: ensuring the vulnerable are safely settled and then exchanging proper inquiries of welfare (kuśala-praśna) as a mark of respect and social order.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Pāṇḍavas’ forces stop outside the hermitage boundary, unyoke their conveyances, and make camp; women, elders, and children rest comfortably. Dhṛtarāṣṭra then meets the Pāṇḍavas and asks about their well-being.