Shloka 28

सेनासमागमः — The Convergence of Armies

Devanagari script

न हास्तिनपुरे राजन्नवकाशो5भवत्‌ तदा

Transliteration

na hāstinapure rājann avakāśo 'bhavat tadā

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “O King, at that time there was no room—no scope or opportunity—left in Hastināpura.”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हास्तिनपुरे: in Hastinapura
• हास्तिनपुरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हास्तिनपुर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अवकाशः: space; opportunity; room
• अवकाशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवकाश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: was; became; existed
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तदा: then; at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

वैशमग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Hastināpura
• King (rājan)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When a polity becomes rigid through pride, fear, or factionalism, even righteous counsel finds no ‘avakāśa’ (space). The verse highlights how ethical resolution requires openness; without it, conflict hardens toward war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes a moment in the Udyoga Parva where conditions in Hastināpura are so constrained—socially and politically—that there is no room for alternative action or conciliatory measures, signaling mounting tension before open hostilities.