Shloka 39

रामस्य पम्पातीरगमनम्, सुग्रीवसख्यं, वालिवधः, सीतारक्षणवृत्तान्तश्च

Rāma at Pampā; alliance with Sugrīva; Vālin’s fall; Sītā’s guarded captivity

Devanagari script

ततस्ते पाण्डवा: सर्वे प्रत्यागमनकाड्क्षिण: । प्रतीक्षन्त: कियत्कालं जितात्मानोडवतस्थिरे,तदनन्तर मनको वशमें करनेवाले सब पाण्डव उनके लौट आनेकी आशासे कुछ देरतक उनकी प्रतीक्षा करते रहे

Transliteration

tatas te pāṇḍavāḥ sarve pratyāgamanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ | pratīkṣantaḥ kiyatkālaṃ jitātmāna ivāvatastire ||

Translation

Then all those Pāṇḍavas, longing for his return, waited for some time. Self-controlled and steady in mind, they remained there, watching and expecting him to come back.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

तेthey (those)

पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas

सर्वेall

प्रत्यागमनकाङ्क्षिणःdesiring (their) return

प्रतीक्षन्तःwaiting

कियत्how much, some (measure of)

कालम्time

जितात्मानःself-controlled (having conquered the self)

अवतस्थिरेstood, remained

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Pāṇḍavas

Vaiśampāyana

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?

The verse highlights disciplined patience: even in uncertainty, the Pāṇḍavas restrain agitation and remain steady, embodying the ethical ideal of self-mastery (jitātman) rather than impulsive reaction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a pause in the story: the Pāṇḍavas, expecting someone’s return, wait for a while and remain stationed there, composed and watchful.