Shloka 21

Devanagari script

निकृतानीह पाण्डूनां नीचैरिव यथा नरै: । सर्व च तदनादृत्य पुत्राणां तव किल्बिषम्‌,जनेश्वर! आपके पुत्रोंने नीच मनुष्योंकी भाँति पाण्डवोंके प्रति बहुत-से क्रूरतापूर्ण बर्ताव तथा छल-कपट किये हैं, परंतु आपके पुत्रोंका वह सारा अपराध भुलाकर पाण्डव सदा उन दोषोंपर पर्दा ही डालते आये हैं। पाण्डुके बड़े भाई महाराज! इसपर भी आपके पुत्र इन पाण्डवोंको अधिक आदर नहीं देते हैं

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

nikṛtānīha pāṇḍūnāṁ nīcair iva yathā naraiḥ |

sarvaṁ ca tad anādṛtya putrāṇāṁ tava kilbiṣam, janeśvara |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Here, your sons have committed many acts of cruelty and deceit against the Pāṇḍavas—like base men would. Yet the Pāṇḍavas, setting aside all those offenses of your sons, have long endured them and even covered over those faults. Even so, O lord of men, your sons do not show the Pāṇḍavas due respect.”

Word by Word

निकृतानिdeceits, wrongs (done)

इहhere, in this matter

पाण्डूनाम्of the Pāṇḍavas

नीचैःby low (men)

इवas if, like

यथाjust as

नरैःby men

सर्वम्all (of it)

चand

तत्that

अनादृत्यhaving disregarded, ignoring

पुत्राणाम्of (your) sons

तवof you, your

किल्बिषम्sin, offence, wrongdoing

जनेश्वरO lord of men (king)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāṇḍavas

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by address janeśvara and 'your sons')

Kauravas (implied by 'your sons')

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?

Wrongdoing (kilbiṣa/nikṛta) does not become harmless merely because the injured party endures it. The verse highlights ethical accountability: the Pāṇḍavas’ forbearance and willingness to overlook offenses should have led to reconciliation and respect, but continued disrespect deepens adharma and moral culpability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses Dhṛtarāṣṭra, reminding him that the Kauravas have repeatedly harmed the Pāṇḍavas through deceit and harsh conduct. Despite this, the Pāṇḍavas have often ignored or concealed those offenses; yet Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons still fail to honor them properly—an implicit critique of the Kauravas’ attitude and the king’s failure to restrain them.