Shloka 6

Hiḍimbā’s Petition, Conditional Union with Bhīma, and the Birth-Naming of Ghaṭotkaca (आदि पर्व, अध्याय १४३)

Devanagari script

यदा त्वमन्यत नृूपो जातकौतूहला इति । उवाचैतानेत्य तदा पाण्डवानम्बिकासुत:,जब अम्बिकानन्दन राजा धृतराष्ट्रको यह विश्वास हो गया कि पाण्डव वहाँ जानेके लिये उत्सुक हैं, तब वे उनके पास जाकर इस प्रकार बोले--

Transliteration

yadā tvamanyata nṛpo jātakautūhalā iti | uvācaitān etya tadā pāṇḍavān ambikāsutaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Als der König (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Ambikās Sohn) überzeugt war, dass die Pāṇḍavas begierig seien, dorthin zu gehen, trat er zu ihnen und sprach dann in dieser Weise zu ihnen. Die Episode zeigt die wachsame Lenkung der Absichten der Prinzen am Hof und die vorsichtige, politisch aufgeladene Annäherung des Königs.

Word by Word

यदाwhen

त्वम्you

अन्यत्otherwise; differently

नृपोthe king

जातकौतूहलाhaving arisen curiosity; curious

इतिthus

उवाचsaid

एतान्these (persons)

इत्यhaving said thus (iti + a)

तदाthen

पाण्डवान्the Pandavas

अम्बिकासुतःAmbika's son (Dhritarashtra)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Ambikā

Pāṇḍavas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a ruler’s perception of others’ intentions shapes action: Dhṛtarāṣṭra, sensing the Pāṇḍavas’ eagerness, personally approaches them. Ethically, it points to the importance of discernment in governance and the tension between duty to kin and political caution.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Dhṛtarāṣṭra realizes the Pāṇḍavas are eager to go (to the intended place/plan in context). He then goes to them and begins speaking—setting up the king’s forthcoming words and the next turn in the court’s handling of the Pāṇḍavas.