Shloka 7

Āstravidyā-Pradarśana: The Kuru Princes’ Public Demonstration of Arms (आस्त्रविद्या-प्रदर्शनम्)

Devanagari script

पाण्डुरुवाच ममाप्येष सदा माद्रि हृद्यर्थ: परिवर्तते । नतु॒त्वां प्रसहे वक्तुमिष्टानिष्टविवक्षया,पाण्डु बोले--माद्री! यह बात मेरे मनमें भी निरन्तर घूमती रहती है, किंतु इस विषयमें तुमसे कुछ कहनेका साहस नहीं होता था; क्योंकि पता नहीं, तुम यह प्रस्ताव सुनकर प्रसन्न होओगी या बुरा मान जाओगी। यह संदेह बराबर बना रहता था

Transliteration

pāṇḍur uvāca mamāpy eṣa sadā mādri hṛdyārthaḥ parivartate | na tu tvāṃ prasahe vaktum iṣṭāniṣṭa-vivakṣayā ||

Translation

Pāṇḍu dit : «Mādrī, cette pensée même ne cesse de tourner dans mon cœur. Pourtant je n’ai pas eu le courage de t’en parler, car je demeure incertain : en entendant cette proposition, l’accueillerais-tu avec joie ou t’en offenserais-tu ?»

Word by Word

• {'pāṇḍuḥ uvāca': 'Pāṇḍu said', 'mamāpi': 'for me too

• even in my case', 'eṣa': 'this (matter/idea)', 'sadā': 'always

• continually', 'mādri': 'O Mādrī (vocative)', 'hṛdi': 'in the heart', 'arthaḥ': 'matter

• intention', 'parivartate': 'turns around

• revolves (in the mind)', 'na tu': 'but not

• however not', 'tvām': 'to you', 'prasahe': 'I am able/dare

• I can bring myself', 'vaktum': 'to speak

• to say', 'iṣṭa': 'pleasing

• agreeable', 'aniṣṭa': 'unpleasing

• disagreeable', 'vivakṣayā': 'with the intention of speaking

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍu
• Mādrī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical speech: even when a thought is persistent and important, one should consider the listener’s disposition and avoid forcing words that may cause hurt. It implies restraint, sensitivity, and seeking consent before advancing a proposal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Pāṇḍu addresses Mādrī and admits he has long been contemplating a certain proposal, but hesitated to voice it because he could not be sure whether she would receive it with pleasure or displeasure.