Shloka 10

Devanagari script

उषिता: स्मो महाराज सुखं तव निवेशने । अज्ञातवासमुषिता गर्भवास इव प्रजा:,राजन! हमलोगोंने बड़े सुखसे आपके महलमें अज्ञातवासका समय बिताया है। जैसे संतान गर्भवासमें रही हो, उसी प्रकार हम भी यहाँ अज्ञातवासमें रहे हैं

Transliteration

uṣitāḥ smo mahārāja sukhaṃ tava niveśane | ajñātavāsam uṣitā garbhavāsa iva prajāḥ ||

Translation

Dijo Arjuna: «Oh gran rey, hemos vivido muy felizmente en tu morada. Al pasar aquí nuestro tiempo de ocultamiento, fuimos como niños en el vientre materno: escondidos de la vista, protegidos y sustentados hasta que llegó la hora de salir.»

Word by Word

उषिताःhaving dwelt / having stayed

स्मःwe have been

महाराजO great king

सुखम्comfortably / happily (as an object of experience)

तवof you / your

निवेशनेin (your) residence / dwelling

अज्ञातवासम्the period of living incognito

उषिताःhaving stayed (spent)

गर्भवासेin the womb-dwelling (gestation)

इवlike / as

प्रजाःoffspring / children

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Virāṭa (Mahārāja)

Virāṭa’s residence/palace (niveśana)

Ajñātavāsa (incognito exile)

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 gratitude and the ethics of acknowledging protection and hospitality received. It also frames concealment not as deceit for its own sake, but as a disciplined, time-bound observance (ajñātavāsa) endured until rightful emergence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After completing their incognito year, Arjuna addresses King Virāṭa, thanking him for the safe and comfortable shelter in his palace. He compares their hidden stay to children remaining unseen in the womb—protected until the moment of revelation.