Shloka 16

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच अविजातो विजातस्य मौखर््याद्‌ धूर्तस्थ पश्यत: । परिदेवयते मन्द: सकाशे सव्यसाचिन:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! मूर्ख उत्तर एक साधारण कोटिका मनुष्य था और छट्मावेशधारी सव्यसाची अर्जुन असाधारण वीर थे। अतः उनके प्रभावको न जाननेके कारण वह मूर्खतावश उनके पास रहकर भी उन्हींके देखते-देखते यों विलाप करने लगा --

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca

avijāto vijātasya maukhar yād dhūrtastha paśyataḥ |

paridevayate mandaḥ sakāśe savyasācinaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The dull-witted Uttara—an untried youth—through foolish talk, failed to recognize the greatness of the truly noble. Even while standing in the presence of the crafty (disguised) Arjuna, the ambidextrous master-archer, he began to lament aloud before him, unaware of Arjuna’s real power and worth.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

अविजातःlow-born / ignoble

विजातस्यof the well-born / noble one

मौखर्यात्from foolishness / due to boorishness

धूर्तस्थO one standing among rogues / O crafty one

पश्यतःwhile (he) was looking / of one who sees

परिदेवयतेlaments

मन्दःthe dull-witted one

सकाशेin the presence of / near

सव्यसाचिनःof Savyasācin (Arjuna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Uttara (Prince of Virāṭa)

Arjuna (Savyasācin, in disguise)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical need for discernment and humility: ignorance of another’s true worth leads to rash speech and misplaced despair. One should not judge by appearances, especially when greatness is present in concealed form.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Virāṭa court context, Prince Uttara—unaware that his companion is actually Arjuna in disguise—begins lamenting and complaining in Arjuna’s very presence. Vaiśampāyana frames Uttara as immature and foolish for failing to recognize Arjuna’s extraordinary capability.