Shloka 24

उत्तरो भयविषण्णः — बृहन्नडेन धैर्योपदेशः

Uttara’s Panic and Bṛhannadā’s Stabilizing Counsel

Devanagari script

सा क्षात्रा प्रेषिता शीघ्रमगच्छन्नर्तनागृहम्‌ । यत्रास्ते स महाबाहुश्छन्न: सत्रेण पाण्डव:,भाईके भेजनेपर कुमारी उत्तरा शीघ्र नृत्यशालामें गयी, जहाँ पाण्डुनन्दन महाबाहु अर्जुन कपटवेषमें छिपकर रहते थे

Transliteration

sā kṣātrā preṣitā śīghram agacchannartanāgṛham | yatrāste sa mahābāhuś channaḥ strīveṣeṇa pāṇḍavaḥ ||

Translation

Auf raschen Auftrag der Prinzessin eilte die Jungfrau Uttarā in die Tanzhalle. Dort weilte der mächtigarmige Pāṇḍava (Arjuna), im Gewand der Verkleidung verborgen, das Geheimnis wahrend gemäß dem Gelübde des unerkannten Lebens.

Word by Word

साshe (that woman)

क्षात्राby the Kshatriya (i.e., by the king/royal person)

प्रेषिताsent/ordered

शीघ्रम्quickly

अगच्छत्went

नर्तनागृहम्the dancing-hall

यत्रwhere

आस्तेsits/dwells/is

सःhe

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed one

छन्नःhidden/disguised

स्त्रेणas/with a woman (female guise)

पाण्डवःthe Pandava (Arjuna)

Speaker

उत्तर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Uttarā

Arjuna (as the concealed Pāṇḍava, Bṛhannalā)

nartanāgṛha (dance-hall)

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 disciplined adherence to a vow (ajñātavāsa): even a supreme warrior like Arjuna accepts concealment and restraint to protect dharma and ensure rightful outcomes, showing that ethical ends require lawful means and self-control.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttarā, sent by the royal lady, quickly goes to the dance-hall where Arjuna is living in disguise (as the dance-teacher Bṛhannalā), remaining hidden during the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito year.