Shloka 16

गूढपाण्डवदर्शनम् — The Hidden Pāṇḍavas and Kṛṣṇa’s Visit

Devanagari script

नटा वैतालिकास्तत्र नर्तका: सूतमागधा: । नियोधकाश्च देशेभ्य: समेष्यन्ति महाबला:,वहाँ अनेक देशोंके नट, वैतालिक, नर्तक, सूत, मागध तथा अत्यन्त बलवान्‌ मल्ल आयेंगे

Transliteration

naṭā vaitālikās tatra nartakāḥ sūtamāgadhāḥ | niyodhakāś ca deśebhyaḥ sameṣyanti mahābalāḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Dort werden Schauspieler und Barden, Tänzer, die Sūta (sūta)—singenden Wagenlenker—und die Māgadha (māgadha)—Lobredner—zugegen sein; und aus vielen Gegenden werden sich auch mächtige Ringer und Kämpfer versammeln.“

Word by Word

नटाःactors, performers

वैतलिकाःbards, panegyrists

तत्रthere

नर्तकाःdancers

सूतcharioteers; bards (Sūtas)

मागधाःMagadha bards; people of Magadha

नियोधकाःwrestlers, fighters

चand

देशेभ्यःfrom (various) countries/regions

समेष्यन्तिwill come together, will assemble

महाबलाःvery strong, mighty

वैindeed, surely

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

naṭa (actors)

vaitālika (bards)

nartaka (dancers)

sūta (charioteer-bards)

māgadha (panegyrists)

niyodhaka (fighters/wrestlers)

deśa (regions)

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 the ideal of a well-ordered royal gathering: diverse specialists—artists, bards, and athletes—are welcomed from many regions, reflecting a king’s duty to host, honor merit, and sustain cultural and civic life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira describes the expected attendance at a major assembly or celebration: performers and praise-singers, along with strong fighters/wrestlers, will arrive from different lands, indicating the scale and prestige of the event.