Shloka 13

Adhyāya 33 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Post-Conflict Remorse and Inquiry on Āśrama Discipline (शोक-विमर्शः, आश्रम-जिज्ञासा)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच युधिष्ठटिरस्य तद्‌ वाकयं श्रुत्वा द्वैघायनस्तदा । निरीक्ष्य निपुणं बुद्धया ऋषि: प्रोवाच पाण्डवम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | yudhiṣṭhirasya tad vākyaṃ śrutvā dvaighāyanas tadā | nirīkṣya nipuṇaṃ buddhyā ṛṣiḥ provāca pāṇḍavam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Hearing those words of Yudhiṣṭhira, the sage Dvaighāyana (Vyāsa) reflected upon the matter with keen discernment and, after careful consideration, spoke to the Pāṇḍava.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'vaiśampāyana uvāca', 'definition': 'Vaiśampāyana said (narrator’s speech marker)'}, {'term': 'yudhiṣṭhirasya', 'definition': 'of Yudhiṣṭhira'}, {'term': 'tad vākyaṃ', 'definition': 'that statement/utterance'}, {'term': 'śrutvā', 'definition': 'having heard'}, {'term': 'dvaighāyanaḥ', 'definition': 'Dvaighāyana, i.e., Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa'}, {'term': 'tadā', 'definition': 'then, at that time'}, {'term': 'nirīkṣya', 'definition': 'having examined/considered'}, {'term': 'nipuṇam', 'definition': 'carefully, expertly, with precision'}, {'term': 'buddhyā', 'definition': 'with (his) intellect/discernment'}, {'term': 'ṛṣiḥ', 'definition': 'the sage'}, {'term': 'provāca', 'definition': 'spoke, addressed'}, {'term': 'pāṇḍavam', 'definition': 'the Pāṇḍava (here, Yudhiṣṭhira)'}]

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa (Dvaighāyana)
• Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic method: before giving moral guidance, a wise teacher listens, reflects with discernment, and only then speaks—suggesting that ethical counsel should be grounded in careful consideration rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Yudhiṣṭhira speaks, Vyāsa (Dvaighāyana) hears him, thoughtfully examines the issue, and prepares to respond. It is a transition verse introducing Vyāsa’s forthcoming instruction in the Śānti Parva.