Shloka 4

ततः कदाचित्‌ कुशल: कथासु विप्रो5भ्यगच्छद्‌ भुवि कौरवेयान्‌ । स तै: समेत्याथ यदृच्छयैव वैचित्रवीर्य नृपमभ्यगच्छत्‌,तदनन्तर किसी समय कथा-वार्तामें कुशल एक ब्राह्मण उस वन्यभूमिमें पाण्डवोंके पास आया और उनसे मिलकर वह घूमता-घामता अकस्मात्‌ राजा धृतराष्ट्रके दरबारमें जा पहुँचा

tataḥ kadācit kuśalaḥ kathāsu vipro 'bhyagacchad bhuvi kauraveyān | sa taiḥ sametyātha yadṛcchayaiva vaicitravīrya nṛpam abhyagacchat ||

Then, at one time, a Brahmin—skilled in discourse and well-versed in news—came upon the Kauravas on the earth. After meeting with them, he wandered on, and by mere chance he arrived before King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the descendant of Vicitravīrya. The verse underscores how seemingly accidental encounters can become channels through which information and moral pressure move between rival houses.

ततःthen/from there
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
कदाचित्once/sometime
कदाचित्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकदाचित्
कुशलःskilled/versed
कुशलः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकुशल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कथासुin stories/conversations
कथासु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकथा
FormFeminine, Locative, Plural
विप्रःa brahmin
विप्रः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अभ्यगच्छत्approached/went to
अभ्यगच्छत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअभि-गम्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
भुविon the earth/on the ground
भुवि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभू
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
कौरवेयान्the Kauravas (descendants of Kuru)
कौरवेयान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकौरवेय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तैःwith them/by them
तैः:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural
समेत्यhaving met
समेत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-इ
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
अथthen/and
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
यदृच्छयाby chance/accidentally
यदृच्छया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootयदृच्छा
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
वैचित्रवीर्यO Vichitravirya (dynastic epithet; addressed)
वैचित्रवीर्य:
TypeNoun
Rootवैचित्रवीर्य
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
नृपम्the king
नृपम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनृप
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अभ्यगच्छत्approached/went to
अभ्यगच्छत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअभि-गम्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

वैशम्पायन उवाच

वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
विप्र (a Brahmin messenger/traveller)
कौरव (Kauravas)
धृतराष्ट्र (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
विचित्रवीर्य (Vicitravīrya)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how the movement of truthful speech and information—often carried by wandering Brahmins—can influence ethical and political outcomes, and how events that appear accidental (yadṛcchā) may still become morally significant in the unfolding of dharma.

A Brahmin skilled in conversation arrives among the Kauravas, meets them, and while travelling onward he happens to reach the court of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra (called Vaicitravīrya, ‘descendant of Vicitravīrya’).