Shloka 15

Kuntī–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda on Atithi-dharma and Crisis Strategy (Ādi Parva 149)

Devanagari script

पाण्डवाश्न महात्मान: प्रतिसंदिश्य वै कवे: । गड्जमुत्तीर्य वेगेन जम्मुर्गूढठमलक्षिता:,महात्मा पाण्डव भी विद्वान्‌ विदुरजीको उनके संदेशका उत्तर देकर गंगापार हो अपनेको छिपाते हुए वेगपूर्वक वहाँसे चल दिये। कोई भी उन्हें देख या पहचान न सका

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca | pāṇḍavāś ca mahātmānaḥ pratisandishya vai kaveḥ | gaṅgām uttīrya vegena jagmur gūḍhatamālakṣitāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having delivered their reply to the sage-poet, the high-souled Pāṇḍavas swiftly crossed the Gaṅgā and departed in haste, keeping themselves concealed. Moving unseen and unrecognized, they left that place without anyone being able to identify them.

Word by Word

पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas

महात्मानःgreat-souled

प्रतिसंदिश्यhaving replied / having sent back (a message)

वैindeed

कवेःof the sage/poet (here: Vidura, as addressed)

गङ्गाम्the Ganga

उत्तीर्यhaving crossed

वेगेनwith speed

जग्मुःthey went

गूढतमाःmost concealed / very hidden

अलक्षिताःunnoticed / unrecognized

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍavas

Gaṅgā

kavi (sage/poet recipient of the message)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the righteous may need discretion: protecting oneself and one’s mission through secrecy and restraint can be ethically appropriate when open action would invite unjust harm or derail dharmic aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

After conveying their response to a wise figure (kavi), the Pāṇḍavas quickly cross the Gaṅgā and leave the area while remaining hidden, so that no one can see or recognize them.