Shloka 283

Vyāsa’s Boon-Offer and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse in the Forest Assembly (आश्रमवासिक पर्व, अध्याय ३६)

Devanagari script

प्राडमुख: सह गान्धार्या कुन्त्या चोपाविशत्‌ तदा । संजयसे ऐसा कहकर राजा धृतराष्ट्रने मनको एकाग्र किया और गान्धारी तथा कुन्तीके साथ वे पूर्वांभिमुख होकर बैठ गये

Transliteration

prāḍmukhaḥ saha gāndhāryā kuntyā copāviśat tadā |

Translation

Nārada said: Then King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, having steadied and focused his mind after addressing Sañjaya, sat down facing east together with Gāndhārī and Kuntī.

Word by Word

• प्राङ्मुखः: facing east
• प्राङ्मुखः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ्मुख
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सह: together with
• सह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• गान्धार्या: with Gandhari
• गान्धार्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धारी
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• कुन्त्या: with Kunti
• कुन्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्ती
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• उपाविशत्: sat down
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Gāndhārī
• Kuntī
• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights āśrama-dharma in practice: even amid grief and aftermath, one should cultivate mental steadiness and adopt disciplined, auspicious conduct—here symbolized by sitting together, facing east, with a collected mind.

What is happening in the narrative?

After speaking to Sañjaya, Dhṛtarāṣṭra concentrates his mind and sits down facing east along with Gāndhārī and Kuntī, marking a composed, ritual-tinged moment of preparation and resolve in their forest-dwelling phase.