Shloka 12

Virāṭanagara-nivāsa-nirṇaya

Decision to Reside in Virāṭa’s City

Devanagari script

सन्ति रम्या जनपदा बद्धन्ना: परित: कुरून्‌ | पाज्चालाश्रैदिमत्स्याश्व॒ शूरसेना: पटच्चरा:

Transliteration

santi ramyā janapadā baddhānnāḥ paritaḥ kurūn | pāñcālāś caidimatsyāś ca śūrasenāḥ paṭaccarāḥ ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “All around the land of the Kurus there are many delightful provinces, rich in stored grain. These include the Pāñcālas, the Cedis, the Matsyas, the Śūrasenas, and the Paṭaccaras.”

Word by Word

• सन्ति: are/exist
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, बहुवचन

• रम्याः: pleasant/beautiful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• जनपदाः: countries/regions
• जनपदाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनपद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• बद्ध-अन्नाः: having stored/abundant food-grain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त, √बन्ध्) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• परितः: all around
• परितः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परितः (अव्यय)

• कुरून्: the Kurus (Kuru-land/people)
• कुरून्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• पाञ्चालाः: the Panchalas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• चेदयः: the Cedis
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मत्स्याः: the Matsyas
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शूरसेनाः: the Shurasenas
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूरसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पटच्चराः: the Pataccharas (a people/region)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पटच्चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Kuru (Kuru realm/people)
• Pāñcāla
• Cedi
• Matsya
• Śūrasena
• Paṭaccara

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic ideal of governance: a well-ordered realm is recognized by abundance and secure food stores, and political awareness includes knowing the surrounding janapadas—resources, allies, and neighboring powers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna enumerates the prosperous neighboring regions around the Kuru country, naming prominent janapadas such as Pāñcāla, Cedi, Matsya, and Śūrasena, situating the story within a concrete political-geographical landscape.