Shloka 15

Devanagari script

रमणीये जनाकीणर्णे नगरे वारणावते । सगणास्तत्र यास्यामो धृतराष्ट्रस्य शासनात्‌,“हम महाराज धृतराष्ट्रकी आज्ञासे रमणीय वारणावत नगरमें, जहाँ बड़ा भारी मेला लग रहा है, परिवारसहित जानेवाले हैं

Transliteration

ramaṇīye janākīrṇe nagare vāraṇāvate | sagaṇās tatra yāsyāmo dhṛtarāṣṭrasya śāsanāt ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “By King Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s command, we shall go with our entire party to the delightful city of Vāraṇāvata, which is crowded with people (because of a great gathering).”

Word by Word

रमणीयेin the delightful (place)

जनाकीर्णेcrowded with people

नगरेin the city

वारणावतेin Vāraṇāvata

सगणाःtogether with (our) attendants/retinue

तत्रthere

यास्यामःwe shall go

धृतराष्ट्रस्यof Dhṛtarāṣṭra

शासनात्from/according to the command

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Vāraṇāvata

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how royal authority (śāsana) can compel movement and action; ethically, it invites reflection on obedience to power versus discernment, since commands may be politically motivated and can foreshadow harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker reports that, under Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s directive, they will proceed with their whole retinue to the pleasant, crowded city of Vāraṇāvata—setting the stage for the ensuing plot associated with that destination.