Shloka 34

Rathaghoṣa–Saṃjñāna: Damayantī’s Inference and the Dispatch of the Envoy (Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 71)

Devanagari script

एवं विचार्य बहुशो वार्ष्णेय: पर्यचिन्तयत्‌ । हृदयेन महाराज पुण्यश्लोकस्य सारथि:,महाराज युधिष्ठिर! इस प्रकार पुण्यश्लोक नलके सारथि वार्ष्णेयने बार-बार उपर्युक्त रूपसे विचार करते हुए मन-ही-मन उक्त धारणा बना ली

Transliteration

evaṁ vicārya bahuśo vārṣṇeyaḥ paryacintayat | hṛdayena mahārāja puṇyaślokasya sārathiḥ |

Translation

Having reflected again and again in this way, Vārṣṇeya—the charioteer of the renowned and virtuous King Nala—pondered deeply within his heart, O great king, and inwardly arrived at a settled resolve.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

विचार्यhaving considered

बहुशःmany times, repeatedly

वार्ष्णेयःVārṣṇeya (a Vrishni-descendant; here: Nala's charioteer)

पर्यचिन्तयत्pondered, reflected

हृदयेनwith (his) heart, in his mind

महाराजO great king

पुण्यश्लोकस्यof the famed/virtuous one (Punyashloka = Nala)

सारथिःcharioteer

Speaker

ऋचुपर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vārṣṇeya

Nala (Puṇyaśloka)

Yudhiṣṭhira

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes repeated reflection and inward discernment before forming a decision—an ethical ideal in the epic: actions should arise from careful consideration rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

R̥tupārṇa reports that Vārṣṇeya, Nala’s charioteer, repeatedly thinks over the matter and, within his heart, comes to a firm internal conclusion, while addressing Yudhiṣṭhira as ‘O great king’.