Shloka 31

अध्याय १ — न्यग्रोधवनोपवेशनम् तथा द्रौणिनिश्चयः

Night at the Banyan and Drauṇi’s Resolve

Devanagari script

ततो निद्रावशं प्राप्ती कृपभोजी महारथौ । सुखोचितावदुःखाहौं निषण्णौ धरणीतले,तदनन्तर कृपाचार्य और कृतवर्मा--इन दोनों महारथियोंको गाढ़ी नींद आ गयी। वे सुख भोगनेके योग्य थे, दुःख पानेके योग्य कदापि नहीं थे, तो भी धरतीपर ही सो गये थे

Transliteration

tato nidrāvaśaṁ prāptau kṛpabhojī mahārathau | sukhocitāv aduḥkhārhau niṣaṇṇau dharaṇītale ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Daraufhin wurden die beiden großen Wagenkämpfer—Kṛpa und Kṛtavarmā, der Sohn Bhojas—vom Schlaf überwältigt und sanken in tiefen Schlummer. Obwohl sie des Komforts würdig und keineswegs des Leidens schuldig waren, lagen sie dennoch auf der bloßen Erde.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• निद्रा-वशम्: the sway/control of sleep
• निद्रा-वशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक); निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्तौ: having reached, having fallen into
• प्राप्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• कृप-भोजी: Kṛpa (lit. 'Kṛpa-eater' i.e., one associated with Kṛpa; here: Kṛpa)
• कृप-भोजी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजिन् (प्रातिपदिक); कृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महा-रथौ: two great chariot-warriors
• महा-रथौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक); महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• सुख-उचितौ: fit for happiness/comfort
• सुख-उचितौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उचित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक); सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अ-दुःख-अहौ: not deserving of suffering (lit. 'not-suffering-worthy')
• अ-दुःख-अहौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अह (प्रातिपदिक); दुःख (प्रातिपदिक); अ- (निषेध)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• निषण्णौ: seated, lying down
• निषण्णौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-षद् (धातु) → निषण्ण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• धरणी-तले: on the surface of the earth, on the ground
• धरणी-तले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल (प्रातिपदिक); धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛpa
• Kṛtavarmā (Bhoja’s son)
• Earth/ground (dharaṇītala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the violence and disorder of war can overturn normal moral expectations: even those worthy of comfort and not deserving suffering are brought low. It invites reflection on the ethical cost of conflict and the vulnerability of all beings to circumstance.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the day’s events, Kṛpa and Kṛtavarmā are overtaken by heavy sleep and lie down on the ground. This sets the nocturnal atmosphere of the Sauptika episode, where exhaustion and night become the backdrop for what follows.