Shloka 16

अध्याय १५ (Āśramavāsika-parva): धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनवासानुज्ञायाचनम् — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s renewed plea for consent to forest-dwelling

Devanagari script

श्वश्रूश्वशुरयो: पादान्‌ शुश्रूषन्ती वने त्वहम्‌,इति श्रीमहाभारते आश्रमवासिके पर्वणि आश्रमवासपर्वणि कुन्तीवनप्रस्थाने षोडशो<ध्याय:

Transliteration

śvaśrūśvaśurayoḥ pādān śuśrūṣantī vane tv aham

Translation

“I shall dwell in the forest, devotedly attending upon the feet of my mother-in-law and father-in-law.”

Word by Word

• श्वश्रू: of the mother-in-law
• श्वश्रू: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वश्रू
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• श्वशुरयोः: of the two fathers-in-law
• श्वशुरयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वशुर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• पादान्: feet
• पादान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शुश्रूषन्ती: serving, attending upon
• शुश्रूषन्ती: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुश्रूष्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Common, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kuntī
• mother-in-law (śvaśrū)
• father-in-law (śvaśura)
• forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights sevā-dharma: honoring and caring for elders with humility. Kuntī’s choice to serve her in-laws in the forest models ethical responsibility and inner renunciation, especially after conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kuntī declares her intention to go to the forest and personally attend upon her mother-in-law and father-in-law, aligning herself with the elders’ forest-retirement and taking up a life of austere service.