Shloka 7

Āstravidyā-Pradarśana: The Kuru Princes’ Public Demonstration of Arms (आस्त्रविद्या-प्रदर्शनम्)

Devanagari script

पाण्डुरुवाच ममाप्येष सदा माद्रि हृद्यर्थ: परिवर्तते । नतु॒त्वां प्रसहे वक्तुमिष्टानिष्टविवक्षया,पाण्डु बोले--माद्री! यह बात मेरे मनमें भी निरन्तर घूमती रहती है, किंतु इस विषयमें तुमसे कुछ कहनेका साहस नहीं होता था; क्योंकि पता नहीं, तुम यह प्रस्ताव सुनकर प्रसन्न होओगी या बुरा मान जाओगी। यह संदेह बराबर बना रहता था

Transliteration

pāṇḍur uvāca mamāpy eṣa sadā mādri hṛdyārthaḥ parivartate | na tu tvāṃ prasahe vaktum iṣṭāniṣṭa-vivakṣayā ||

Translation

Pāṇḍu sprach: „Mādrī, eben dieser Gedanke wälzt sich auch unablässig in meinem Herzen. Doch ich vermochte nicht, dich darauf anzusprechen, denn ich blieb unsicher, ob du diesen Vorschlag freudig aufnehmen oder dich daran stoßen würdest.“

Word by Word

• {'pāṇḍuḥ uvāca': 'Pāṇḍu said', 'mamāpi': 'for me too

• even in my case', 'eṣa': 'this (matter/idea)', 'sadā': 'always

• continually', 'mādri': 'O Mādrī (vocative)', 'hṛdi': 'in the heart', 'arthaḥ': 'matter

• intention', 'parivartate': 'turns around

• revolves (in the mind)', 'na tu': 'but not

• however not', 'tvām': 'to you', 'prasahe': 'I am able/dare

• I can bring myself', 'vaktum': 'to speak

• to say', 'iṣṭa': 'pleasing

• agreeable', 'aniṣṭa': 'unpleasing

• disagreeable', 'vivakṣayā': 'with the intention of speaking

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍu
• Mādrī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical speech: even when a thought is persistent and important, one should consider the listener’s disposition and avoid forcing words that may cause hurt. It implies restraint, sensitivity, and seeking consent before advancing a proposal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Pāṇḍu addresses Mādrī and admits he has long been contemplating a certain proposal, but hesitated to voice it because he could not be sure whether she would receive it with pleasure or displeasure.