Shloka 42

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

शिरो गृहीत्वा विदुरो गतसत्त्व इवाभवत्‌ | आस्ते ध्यायन्नधोवक्त्रो नि:श्वसन्निव पन्नग:,विदुरजी तो दोनों हाथोंसे अपना सिर थामकर बेहोश-से हो गये। वे फुँफकारते हुए सर्पकी भाँति उच्छवास लेकर मुँह नीचे किये हुए गम्भीर चिन्तामें निमग्न हो बैठे रह गये

Transliteration

śiro gṛhītvā viduro gatasattva ivābhavat | āste dhyāyann adhovaktro niḥśvasann iva pannagaḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Vidura, clasping his head with both hands, became as if bereft of strength and consciousness. With his face lowered, he sat absorbed in grave reflection, breathing heavily like a serpent—an outward sign of inner anguish at the collapse of dharma in the assembly.

Word by Word

शिरःhead

गृहीत्वाhaving seized/held

विदुरःVidura

गतसत्त्वःone whose strength/senses have gone; faint

इवas if

अभवत्became/was

आस्तेsits/remains

ध्यायन्meditating/thinking

अधोवक्त्रःwith face turned downward

निःश्वसन्breathing out/sighing

इवas if

पन्नगःsnake/serpent

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Vidura

serpent (pannaga)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes