Shloka 16

Devanagari script

तत आश्शलिष्य त॑ प्रेम्णा मूर्थ्नि चाप्राय पाण्डव: । प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो विस्मयंश्व पुनः पुन:

Transliteration

tata āśliṣya taṁ premṇā mūrdhni cāghrāya pāṇḍavaḥ | prītyā paramayā yukto vismayaṁś ca punaḥ punaḥ ||

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: Entonces el Pāṇḍava lo abrazó con afecto y besó (o aspiró) su cabeza. Colmado de la más alta alegría, no dejaba de expresar su asombro una y otra vez: un gesto íntimo de parentesco y reverencia que, por un instante, suaviza la aspereza de la guerra con gratitud y reconocimiento.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb: 'from that/then')

• आश्लिष्य: having embraced
• आश्लिष्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√श्लिष्
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having embraced'

• प्रेम्णा: with affection/love
• प्रेम्णा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेमन्
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन्
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable

• अपार्य: having approached (reading uncertain)
• अपार्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-√ऋ (अर्/ऋ गतौ) / अप-√इ (इ गतौ) (uncertain reading)
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), reading uncertain; sense: 'having approached/come near'

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रीत्या: with joy/pleasure
• प्रीत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular

• परमया: supreme, very great
• परमया: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular (agreeing with प्रीत्या)

• युक्तः: endowed/filled (with)
• युक्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √युज्
• Form: past passive participle (क्त), masculine nominative singular

• विस्मयन्: marvelling, being astonished
• विस्मयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मि (विस्मय)
• Form: present active participle (शतृ), masculine nominative singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः
• Form: indeclinable

• पुनः: again (repeated: 'again and again')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः
• Form: indeclinable

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• पाण्डव (Pāṇḍava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid a battlefield narrative, the epic highlights dharmic humanity: affection, respect, and gratitude are not erased by conflict. The head-kiss (āghrāya mūrdhni) signals reverence and intimate goodwill, reminding that ethical conduct includes tenderness and recognition of bonds.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a Pāṇḍava, overwhelmed with supreme joy, embraces a person and kisses/smells his head in affection, repeatedly expressing amazement—indicating an emotionally charged meeting or recognition within the larger war setting.