Shloka 11

Kubera’s Fivefold Nīti and Protection of the Pāṇḍavas (वैश्रवणोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

कारणं चैव तत्‌ तेषामाचचक्षे तपस्विनाम्‌ । तानुग्रतपस: प्रीतान्‌ कृत्वा पार्था: प्रदक्षिणाम्‌,और उन तपस्वियोंके सामने उन्हें बुला भेजनेका कारण बताया। उन कठोर तपस्वियोंको प्रसन्न करके कुन्तीकुमारोंने उनकी परिक्रमा की

Transliteration

kāraṇaṃ caiva tat teṣām ācacakṣe tapasvinām | tān ugratapasaḥ prītān kṛtvā pārthāḥ pradakṣiṇām ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: Los hermanos Pāṇḍava expusieron a aquellos ascetas la razón misma por la que los habían convocado. Tras complacer a los sabios de severas austeridades, los hijos de Kuntī los circunvalaron en señal de reverencia.

Word by Word

कारणम्reason, cause

चand

एवindeed, just

तत्that (thing)

तेषाम्of them

आचचक्षेtold, explained

तपस्विनाम्of the ascetics

तान्them

उग्रतपसःof fierce austerity

प्रीतान्pleased

कृत्वाhaving made, having done

पार्थाःthe sons of Pṛthā (Pāṇḍavas)

प्रदक्षिणाम्circumambulation (as reverence)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Pārthāḥ (Pāṇḍavas / sons of Kuntī)

tapasvinaḥ (ascetics/sages)

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?

Even when one has power or urgency, dharma requires approaching spiritual elders with transparency and reverence—explaining one’s purpose, pleasing them through proper conduct, and honoring them (here, by pradakṣiṇā) rather than treating them as instruments.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Pāṇḍavas tell the assembled ascetics why they have called them, then, after satisfying the austere sages, they perform respectful circumambulation around them as a formal act of honor.