Shloka 17

धृतराष्ट्रस्य पश्चात्तापः तथा वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse and Request for Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

तस्य द्वाराणि सर्वाणि पर्याप्तानि बृहन्ति च । सर्वतः सुविभक्तानि यन्त्रैरारक्षितानि च

Transliteration

tasya dvārāṇi sarvāṇi paryāptāni bṛhanti ca | sarvataḥ suvibhaktāni yantrair ārakṣitāni ca ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Alle Tore jener Stadt sollen weit und hoch sein; sie sollen nach allen Seiten wohlgeordnet angelegt und durch Verteidigungsvorrichtungen gesichert werden.“

Word by Word

• तस्य: of that (city/it)
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• द्वाराणि: gates/doors
• द्वाराणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• पर्याप्तानि: adequate/sufficient (spacious enough)
• पर्याप्तानि: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्याप्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• बृहन्ति: large/lofty
• बृहन्ति: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहन्त्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सर्वतः: on all sides/everywhere
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• सुविभक्तानि: well-arranged/well-partitioned
• सुविभक्तानि: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-विभक्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• यन्त्रैः: by mechanisms/contrivances
• यन्त्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यन्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• आरक्षितानि: guarded/protected
• आरक्षितानि: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-रक्ष्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• dvāra (city gates)
• yantra (defensive devices)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights rāja-dharma: a ruler must provide adequate infrastructure and layered protection. Well-planned, well-guarded gates symbolize responsible governance—security, order, and foresight for the welfare of the people.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates instructions describing how the city (or fortified settlement) should be arranged: its gates must be large and sufficient, properly positioned on all sides, and secured with protective devices, indicating preparations for safety and stability.