Shloka 30

Devanagari script

राज्ञा मूर्थन्युपाप्रातास्ते च कौरवनन्दना: । चत्वार: पाण्डवा राजन्‌ भीमसेनपुरोगमा:

Transliteration

rājñā mūrdhny upāprātās te ca kauravanandanāḥ | catvāraḥ pāṇḍavā rājan bhīmasenapurogamāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Jene Söhne des Kuru-Geschlechts traten, zusammen mit den vier Pāṇḍavas unter Führung Bhīmasenas, zum König heran und standen vor ihm mit gesenkten Häuptern—ein sichtbares Zeichen der Ehrerbietung.

Word by Word

राज्ञाby the king

मूर्धनिon (the) head

उपाप्राताःapproached / came near (having come up to)

तेthey

चand

कौरव-नन्दनाःsons/darlings of the Kauravas

चत्वारःfour

पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas

राजन्O king

भीमसेन-पुरोगमाःwith Bhimasena in front / led by Bhimasena

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

the king (rājā)

Kauravas (Kuru descendants)

Pāṇḍavas

Bhīmasena

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 courtly discipline and outward humility before authority; in the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such gestures can signify genuine respect or serve as formal decorum amid deepening rivalry, reminding readers to examine intention (bhāva) behind conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the royal assembly context, the Kauravas and the four Pāṇḍavas—led by Bhīma—come before the king, presenting themselves with lowered heads as they approach, setting the scene for consequential proceedings in the court.