Shloka 37

Duryodhana Seized by Citraseṇa; Kaurava Petition to Yudhiṣṭhira (दुर्योधनापहारः / चित्रसेनगन्धर्वग्रहणम्)

Devanagari script

द्विपज्चरात्र॑ तिष्ठन्ति सततं सूतिकागृहे । कद्रू: सूक्ष्मवपुर्भूत्वा गर्भिणीं प्रविशत्यथ

Transliteration

Dvipañcarātraṁ tiṣṭhanti satataṁ sūtikāgṛhe | Kadrūḥ sūkṣmavapurbhūtvā garbhiṇīṁ praviśaty atha ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya dijo: «Durante dos noches y cinco noches permanecen sin cesar en la cámara del parto. Luego Kadrū, asumiendo una forma sumamente sutil, entra en la mujer encinta.»

Word by Word

द्विपelephants

चand

रात्रम्night (for the night)

तिष्ठन्तिthey stay/stand

सततम्constantly, always

सूतिका-गृहेin the lying-in chamber (maternity room)

कद्रूःKadru

सूक्ष्म-वपुःa subtle body/form

भूत्वाhaving become

गर्भिणीम्the pregnant (woman)

प्रविशतिenters

अथthen

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Kadrū

sūtikāgṛha (lying-in chamber)

garbhiṇī (pregnant woman)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how hidden intentions and subtle interventions can shape outcomes around birth and lineage; ethically, it cautions that unseen actions—especially in vulnerable contexts like childbirth—may have far-reaching consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a period of seclusion in the maternity chamber, after which Kadrū takes on a minute, subtle form and enters a pregnant woman, indicating a supernatural or covert influence on the pregnancy.