Shloka 31

Raivataka-giri Mahotsava and the Counsel on Subhadrā’s Marriage (रैवतके महोत्सवः — सुभद्राविवाहोपायविचारः)

Devanagari script

भारत! इस प्रकार नारदजीकी प्रेरणासे पाण्डवोंने पहले ही नियम बना लिया था। इसीलिये वे सब आपसमें कभी एक-दूसरेके विरोधी नहीं हुए

Transliteration

Bhārata! evaṃ Nāradasya prerayā Pāṇḍavaiḥ pūrvam eva niyamo nirdiṣṭaḥ; tasmāt te sarve parasparaṃ kadācana na viruddhā abhavan.

Translation

O Bhārata! So hatten die Pāṇḍavas, von Nārada angetrieben, schon zuvor eine Regel festgesetzt. Darum wurde keiner von ihnen je zum Gegner des anderen, und ihre Eintracht blieb durch gegenseitige Selbstzucht und das vereinbarte Verhalten unversehrt.

Word by Word

भारतO Bharata

एवम्thus, in this manner

नारदस्यof Nārada

प्रेरणयाby (his) instigation/inspiration

पाण्डवाःthe Pāṇḍavas

पूर्वमेवalready beforehand

नियमम्a rule, a regulation

कृतवन्तःhaving made, made

तस्मात्therefore, for that reason

तेthey

सर्वेall

परस्परम्mutually, with one another

कदाचनever, at any time

विरोधिनःopposed, hostile

नnot

अभवन्were, became

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhārata (Janamejaya)

Nārada

Pāṇḍavas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical harmony in a household or polity is protected by clear, pre-agreed rules (niyama) and by heeding wise counsel; discipline prevents rivalry from arising among those who share power and affection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana explains to Janamejaya that, due to Nārada’s prompting, the Pāṇḍavas had set a rule in advance; because of this arrangement, they did not fall into mutual opposition.