Adi Parva Adhyaya 131 Shloka 19 - Mahabharata | English | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ततोडन्योन्यमवैक्षन्त व्रीडयावनतानना: । तस्या योगमविन्दन्तो भृशं चोत्कण्ठिताभवन्‌,इस कारण लज्जासे नतमस्तक होकर वे एक-दूसरेकी ओर देखने लगे। गुल्ली निकालनेका कोई उपाय न मिलनेके कारण वे अत्यन्त उत्कण्ठित हो गये

Transliteration

tato 'nyonyam avaikṣanta vrīḍayāvanatānanāḥ | tasyā yogam avindanto bhṛśaṃ cotkaṇṭhitā abhavan |

Translation

Then, with faces lowered in shame, they began to look at one another. Unable to find any means to accomplish that, they became intensely anxious and restless.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अन्योन्यम्each other, mutually

अवैक्षन्तthey looked (at)

व्रीडयाwith shame/modesty

अवनताननाःhaving faces bent down (downcast-faced)

तस्याःof her

योगम्means, method, device

अविन्दन्तःnot finding

भृशम्exceedingly, greatly

चand

उत्कण्ठिताःanxious, eager, distressed

अभवन्they became, were

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral-psychological force of vrīḍā (shame/modesty): when one recognizes impropriety or failure in a questionable intention, the mind turns inward (downcast faces) and becomes agitated. It implicitly points to social-ethical restraint and the inner consequences of conflicted intent.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of people, embarrassed, exchange glances with lowered faces. They cannot discover a workable method to carry out their intended plan, and this inability makes them intensely restless and anxious.