Shloka 27

Aṃśāvataraṇa-kathana (Catalog of Divine/Asuric Portions in Human Births) — Chapter 61

Devanagari script

ते तत्र नियता: काल कंचिदृषुर्नरर्षभा: । मात्रा सहैकचक्रायां ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने,उस एकचक्रा नगरीमें वे नरश्रेष्ठ पाण्डव अपनी माताके साथ एक ब्राह्मणके घरमें कुछ कालतक टिके रहे

Transliteration

te tatra niyatāḥ kālaṁ kañcid ūṣuḥ naraṛṣabhāḥ | mātrā sahaikacakrāyāṁ brāhmaṇasya niveśane ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana sprach: Dort lebten die Pāṇḍavas—Stiere unter den Helden—eine Zeitlang in Selbstzucht und Verborgenheit, zusammen mit ihrer Mutter, im Haus eines Brāhmaṇa in der Stadt Ekacakrā. Die Begebenheit betont kluge Selbstbeherrschung und das Vertrauen auf rechtschaffene Gastfreundschaft, solange sie im Versteck bleiben mussten.

Word by Word

तेthey

तत्रthere

नियताःstaying/settled, residing

कालम्time (for a while)

कञ्चित्some, a certain

ऊषुःthey dwelt/stayed

नरर्षभाःbulls among men, best of men

मात्राwith (their) mother

सहtogether with

एकचक्रायाम्in (the city of) Ekacakrā

ब्राह्मणस्यof a Brahmin

निवेशनेin the dwelling/house

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍavas

their mother (Kuntī)

Ekacakrā

a brāhmaṇa (host)

brāhmaṇa's dwelling (niveśana)

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 niyama (self-restraint) and prudent conduct during adversity: the Pāṇḍavas accept shelter through righteous hospitality, remain disciplined and unobtrusive, and protect their larger mission without violating dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After leaving Vāraṇāvata and moving incognito, the Pāṇḍavas arrive at Ekacakrā and stay for a period with their mother in the home of a brāhmaṇa, setting the stage for the Ekacakrā episodes (including the encounter with Baka).