Shloka 3

कुन्त्याः वनगमननिश्चयः — Kuntī’s Resolve to Depart for the Forest

Devanagari script

केचिद्‌ यानैर्नरा जम्मु: केचिदश्वैर्महाजवै: । काज्चनैश्व रथै: केचिज्ज्वलितज्वलनोपमै:

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca | kecid yānair narā jagmuḥ kecid aśvair mahājavaiḥ | kāñcanaiś ca rathaiḥ kecij jvalitajvalanopamaiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Some men set out in palanquins; others travelled on swift, powerful horses. Still others departed mounted on golden chariots, blazing like kindled fire—an image of royal splendour and the ordered movement of a great retinue.

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क-चिद् (प्रातिपदिक: किम् + चिद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यानैः: by vehicles/palanquins
• यानैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जग्मुः: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Plural

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क-चिद् (प्रातिपदिक: किम् + चिद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अश्वैः: by horses
• अश्वैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• महाजवैः: very swift
• महाजवैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाजव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• काञ्चनैः: golden
• काञ्चनैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• रथैः: by chariots
• रथैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क-चिद् (प्रातिपदिक: किम् + चिद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ज्वलित-ज्वलन-उपमैः: like blazing fire
• ज्वलित-ज्वलन-उपमैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलित (कृदन्त) + ज्वलन (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• yāna (palanquin/vehicle)
• aśva (horse)
• ratha (chariot)
• kāñcana (gold/golden chariot imagery)
• jvalana (fire; simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the outward splendour and hierarchy of worldly life—vehicles, speed, and gold—set against the larger Ashramavāsika context where even great royalty moves toward withdrawal and the end of an era, reminding the reader of impermanence beneath display.

What is happening in the narrative?

A large group is departing, and the narrator describes the variety of conveyances: some go in palanquins, some ride swift horses, and some travel in brilliant golden chariots likened to fire, emphasizing the scale and magnificence of the departure.