Shloka 41

Drupada’s Putrakāmeṣṭi: The Sacrificial Birth of Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

घटोत्कचो महाकाय: पाण्डवान्‌ पृथया सह । अभिवाद्य यथान्यायमत्रवीच्च प्रभाष्य तान्‌,तत्पश्चात्‌ विशालकाय घटोत्कचने कुन्तीसहित पाण्डवोंको यथायोग्य प्रणाम करके उन्हें सम्बोधित करके कहा--“निष्पाप गुरुजन! आप नि:शंक होकर बतायें, मैं आपकी क्या सेवा करूँ?” इस प्रकार पूछनेवाले भीमसेनकुमारसे कुन्तीने कहा--

Transliteration

ghaṭotkaco mahākāyaḥ pāṇḍavān pṛthayā saha | abhivādya yathānyāyam atravīc ca prabhāṣya tān |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Darauf trat Ghaṭotkaca, von gewaltiger Gestalt, zusammen mit Pṛthā (Kuntī) zu den Pāṇḍavas. Nachdem er ihnen nach Recht und Brauch ehrerbietig gehuldigt und sie angesprochen hatte, sagte er: „O schuldlose, verehrungswürdige Älteste, sprecht ohne Zögern — welchen Dienst soll ich euch erweisen?“ Als der Sohn Bhīmas so fragte, antwortete Kuntī ihm.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'ghaṭotkacaḥ', 'definition': 'Ghaṭotkaca, the son of Bhīma (a powerful rākṣasa warrior)'}, {'term': 'mahākāyaḥ', 'definition': 'of great body

• huge, mighty in stature'}, {'term': 'pāṇḍavān', 'definition': 'the Pāṇḍavas (sons of Pāṇḍu)'}, {'term': 'pṛthayā saha', 'definition': 'together with Pṛthā (Kuntī)'}, {'term': 'abhivādya', 'definition': 'having saluted

• having paid respectful greetings'}, {'term': 'yathā-nyāyam', 'definition': 'according to propriety

• as etiquette and dharma require'}, {'term': 'prabhāṣya', 'definition': 'having addressed

• having spoken to'}, {'term': 'atravīt', 'definition': 'he said/spoke (narrative past form)'}, {'term': 'niṣpāpa', 'definition': 'sinless

• blameless (a respectful address)'}, {'term': 'gurujana', 'definition': 'elders

• revered persons/teachers'}, {'term': 'niḥśaṅkam', 'definition': 'without doubt or fear

• confidently'}, {'term': 'sevā', 'definition': 'service

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Ghaṭotkaca
• Pāṇḍavas
• Pṛthā (Kuntī)
• Bhīma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharmic conduct through proper etiquette: honoring elders (gurujana) with respectful salutation (abhivāda) and offering service (sevā) without hesitation. It presents humility and readiness to help one’s family and revered seniors as an ethical ideal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Ghaṭotkaca approaches the Pāṇḍavas along with Kuntī, formally pays respects according to custom, and asks what service he can perform for them. The narration then transitions to Kuntī’s response to his offer.