Shloka 13

Vyāsa’s Consolation to Yudhiṣṭhira: Tapas, Kāla, and the Difficulty of Dāna (दान-तपस्-विवेकः)

Devanagari script

त एवमुक्ता गन्धर्वा: पाण्डवेन यशस्विना । उत्स्मयन्तस्तदा पार्थमिदं वचनमन्नुवन्‌,यशस्वी पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुनके ऐसा कहनेपर गन्धर्वोने मुसकराकर उनसे इस प्रकार कहा--

Transliteration

ta evamuktā gandharvāḥ pāṇḍavena yaśasvinā | utsmayantas tadā pārtham idaṁ vacanam anuvann ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: Así interpelados por el ilustre Pāṇḍava, los Gandharvas sonrieron a Pārtha (Arjuna) y luego le respondieron con estas palabras. La escena subraya un intercambio cortés, aunque sutilmente probatorio, en el que los seres celestes contestan con mesurada diversión al discurso de un héroe humano.

Word by Word

तेthey

एवम्thus

उक्ताःhaving been addressed / spoken to

गन्धर्वाःGandharvas

पाण्डवेनby the Pandava

यशस्विनाfamous, illustrious

उत्स्मयन्तःsmiling (broadly)

तदाthen

पार्थम्to Partha (Arjuna)

इदम्this

वचनम्speech, words

अनुवन्they said / spoke (in reply)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Gandharvas

Pāṇḍava

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Pāṇḍu

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 disciplined speech and social-ethical decorum: even powerful beings respond with restraint and a composed smile, suggesting that reputation (yaśas) and dialogue etiquette shape how words are received and answered.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Arjuna (the renowned Pāṇḍava) speaks, the Gandharvas smile and begin their reply. The verse functions as a narrative hinge introducing the Gandharvas’ forthcoming statement.