Shloka 29

Sabhā-praveśa, Dāna, and the Courtly Convergence (सभा-प्रवेशः दानं च)

Devanagari script

शिशुपाल: सहसुतः करूषाधिपतिस्तथा । वृष्णीनां चैव दुर्धर्षा: कुमारा देवरूपिण:

Transliteration

śiśupālaḥ sahasutaḥ karūṣādhipatis tathā | vṛṣṇīnāṃ caiva durdharṣāḥ kumārā devarūpiṇaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Da war Śiśupāla mitsamt seinen Söhnen, ebenso der Herrscher von Karūṣa; und auch die schwer zu bezwingenden Fürsten der Vṛṣṇis, von göttergleicher Gestalt—sie alle gehörten zu den Anwesenden.“

Word by Word

शिशुपालःShishupala

सहसुतःthe son of Sahasuta

करूषाधिपतिःthe ruler of Karusha

तथाand also/likewise

वृष्णीनाम्of the Vrishnis

चand

एवindeed/just

दुर्धर्षाःhard to assail, unconquerable

कुमाराःprinces, youths

देवरूपिणःhaving divine forms, godlike

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Śiśupāla

Śiśupāla's sons

Karūṣa (realm)

Karūṣādhipati (king of Karūṣa)

Vṛṣṇis

Vṛṣṇi princes

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 how political power concentrates in royal gatherings: formidable rulers and princes assemble, and such proximity of strength and pride often becomes the backdrop for ethical tests—restraint, respect, and adherence to dharma amid rivalry.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is enumerating notable attendees in the great assembly context of the Sabha Parva, naming Śiśupāla with his sons, the king of Karūṣa, and the formidable, godlike Vṛṣṇi princes as part of the gathered nobility.