Shloka 11

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 146 — Brāhmaṇī’s counsel on grief, duty, and protection of children

Devanagari script

दशरात्रोषितानां तु तत्र तेषां पुरोचन: । निवेदयामास गृहं शिवाख्यमशिवं तदा,दस दिनोंतक वहाँ रह लेनेके पश्चात्‌ पुरोचनने पाण्डवोंसे उस नूतन गृहके सम्बन्धमें चर्चा की, जो कहनेको तो 'शिवभवन' था, परंतु वास्तवमें अशिव (अमंगलकारी) था

Transliteration

daśarātroṣitānāṃ tu tatra teṣāṃ purocanaḥ | nivedayāmāsa gṛhaṃ śivākhyam aśivaṃ tadā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Nachdem sie dort zehn Nächte verweilt hatten, setzte Purocana sie von einem Haus in Kenntnis—das man mit dem glückverheißenden Namen „Śiva“ bezeichnete, das in Wahrheit jedoch unheilvoll war, da es zu ihrem Schaden bestimmt war.

Word by Word

दशरात्रोषितानाम्of those who had stayed for ten nights

तुbut/indeed

तत्रthere

तेषाम्to/of them (the Pandavas)

पुरोचनःPurocana

निवेदयामासinformed/announced

गृहम्the house

शिवाख्यम्called 'Śiva' (auspicious in name)

अशिवम्inauspicious (in reality)

तदाthen/at that time

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Purocana

Pāṇḍavas

Śivākhya-gṛha (the so-called ‘Śiva’ house)

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 ethical vigilance: outwardly auspicious labels and pleasant presentation can conceal harmful intent. Dharma requires discernment (viveka) and caution when dealing with those who may act through deceit.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the Pāṇḍavas have stayed ten nights at that place, Purocana approaches and speaks to them about a newly prepared house, publicly described as auspicious (“Śiva”), but actually designed to be inauspicious and dangerous for them.