Shloka 20

Virāṭanagara-nivāsa-nirṇaya

Decision to Reside in Virāṭa’s City

Devanagari script

अजुन उवाच नरदेव कथं तस्य राष्ट्र कर्म करिष्यसि । विराटनगरे साधो रंस्यसे केन कर्मणा

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | naradeva kathaṁ tasya rāṣṭre karma kariṣyasi | virāṭanagare sādho raṁsyase kena karmaṇā ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “O king among men, how will you carry out your work in his kingdom? O noble one, in the city of Virāṭa, by what kind of occupation will you find contentment and pass your time?”

Word by Word

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नरदेव: O king (god among men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरदेव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• तस्य: of him / his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• राष्ट्रे: in the kingdom
• राष्ट्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कर्म: work, duty
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• करिष्यसि: you will do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Simple Future (Lृट्), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विराट-नगरे: in the city of Virata
• विराट-नगरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराटनगर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• साधो: O good man / O noble one
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• रंस्यसे: you will take pleasure / be delighted
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम्
• Form: Simple Future (Lृट्), Second, Singular, Atmanepada

• केन: by what (means)
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• कर्मणा: by (which) work / through what occupation
• कर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Virāṭa (place/kingdom)
• Virāṭanagara (city of Virāṭa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights practical dharma: even in concealment and uncertainty, one should choose a fitting, sustainable occupation and conduct oneself responsibly within another’s realm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna asks a companion (addressed respectfully as ‘naradeva’ and ‘sādho’) how he plans to serve or work within Virāṭa’s kingdom and what role in Virāṭanagara will keep him content during their period of living incognito.