Shloka 10

Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 1 — The Pandavas’ Exit from Gajasāhvaya and the Citizens’ Lament (जनमेजयप्रश्नः; पाण्डवानां वनप्रस्थानम्)

Devanagari script

वर्धमानपुरद्वारादभिनिष्क्रम्य पाण्डवा: । उदड्मुखा: शस्त्रभृत: प्रययु: सह कृष्णया,वर्धमानपुरकी दिशामें स्थित नगरद्वारसे निकलकर शणस्त्रधारी पाण्डवोंने द्रौपदीके साथ उत्तराभिमुख होकर यात्रा आरम्भ की

Transliteration

vardhamānapuradvārād abhiniṣkramya pāṇḍavāḥ | udaṅmukhāḥ śastrabhṛtaḥ prayayuḥ saha kṛṣṇayā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: Tras salir por la puerta que daba hacia Vardhamānapura, los Pāṇḍavas—armados y con el rostro vuelto al norte—emprendieron su viaje junto con Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī).

Word by Word

वर्धमानपुरद्वारात्from the gate of Vardhamāna city

अभिनिष्क्रम्यhaving gone out / having departed

पाण्डवाःthe Pāṇḍavas

उदङ्मुखाःfacing north

शस्त्रभृतःweapon-bearing

प्रययुःthey set out / they went forth

सहtogether with

कृष्णयाwith Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍavas

Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)

Vardhamānapura

city gate (dvāra)

weapons (śastra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in dharma: even when wronged, the Pāṇḍavas accept the imposed exile and proceed with discipline and preparedness, embodying endurance, self-control, and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

After leaving through the gate of Vardhamānapura, the Pāṇḍavas, carrying weapons, begin their northward journey into exile, accompanied by Draupadī (Kṛṣṇā).