Shloka 18

विदुरस्य द्रुपदसमीपगमनम् — Vidura Conveys Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Message to Drupada

Devanagari script

कोटिश श्व सुवर्ण च तेषामकृतकं तथा । वीथीकृतममेयात्मा प्राहिणोन्मधुसूदन:,इसके सिवा अमेयात्मा मधुसूदनने सुशिक्षित और वशमें रहनेवाले अच्छी जातिके हाथी, गहनोंसे सजे हुए उत्तम घोड़े, चमकते हुए सोनेके पत्रोंसे सुशोभित और सधे हुए घोड़ोंसे युक्त बहुत-से सुन्दर रथ, करोड़ों स्वर्णमुद्राएँ तथा पंक्तिमें रखी हुई सुवर्णकी ढेरियाँ उनके लिये भेजीं

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | koṭiśaḥ suvarṇaṃ ca teṣām akṛtakaṃ tathā | vīthīkṛtam ameyātmā prāhiṇon madhusūdanaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “The immeasurable-souled Madhusūdana sent them vast wealth as well—crores of gold, and also uncoined (raw) gold arranged in orderly rows.”

Word by Word

कोटिशःin crores; by crores (crores of)

श्वःdogs (or animals called śvan)

सुवर्णम्gold

चand

तेषाम्for them; of them

अकृतकम्genuine; not artificial

तथाlikewise; also

वीथीकृतम्arranged in rows/streets; set in lines

अमेयात्माhe whose nature is immeasurable (the immeasurable-souled one)

प्राहिणोत्sent; dispatched

मधुसूदनःMadhusūdana (slayer of Madhu; Krishna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)

gold (suvarṇa)

crores (koṭi)

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 dāna as a dharmic act: wealth should be bestowed in a deliberate, orderly, and honorable way, reflecting responsibility, respect for recipients, and the ethical use of prosperity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa) sends immense wealth—crores of gold and raw, uncoined gold laid out in rows—to the concerned recipients, emphasizing the scale and formality of the gift.