Mahabharata 3.21.11 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 11

Dvārakā’s Distress and the Saubha Engagement (द्वारकाव्यग्रता तथा सौभयुद्धम्)

Devanagari script

आहुकस्य वचो वीर तस्यैव परिचारक: । विषण्ण: सन्नकण्ठेन तन्निबोध युधिछिर

Transliteration

āhukasya vaco vīra tasyaiva paricārakaḥ | viṣaṇṇaḥ sannakaṇṭhena tannibodha yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

Oh héroe, llegó un servidor de Āhuka (Ugrasena), abatido y con la voz ahogada. Oh Yudhiṣṭhira, escucha con atención el mensaje que transmitió. La escena subraya que informar con veracidad noticias graves, aunque duelan, es un deber, y que un rey justo debe recibir tales palabras con firmeza y discernimiento.

Word by Word

• आहुकस्य: of Āhuka
• आहुकस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहुक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वचः: message/words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वीर: O hero
• वीर: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• परिचारकः: attendant/servant
• परिचारकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिचारक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विषण्णः: dejected/sorrowful
• विषण्णः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषण्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सन्: being
• सन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (सत्/सन्)
• Form: Present (participle), Singular

• नकण्ठेन: with a choked/throaty voice
• नकण्ठेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकण्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तत्: that (message)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• निबोध: understand/listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Āhuka (Ugrasena)
• paricāraka (servant/attendant)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even distressing truth must be conveyed faithfully, and a dharmic ruler should receive grave news with composure, attentive listening, and readiness to act rightly.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva reports that a sorrowful attendant of Āhuka/Ugrasena arrives and, with a choked voice, delivers an important message for Yudhiṣṭhira to hear.