Shloka 5

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच ते परस्परमामन्त्रय देवकल्पा महर्षय: । पाण्डो: पुत्रान्‌ पुरस्कृत्य नगरं नागसाह्दयम्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन! इस प्रकार परस्पर सलाह करके उन देवतुल्य उदारचेता सिद्ध महर्षियोंने पाण्डवोंको भीष्म एवं धृतराष्ट्रके हाथों सौंप देनेके लिये पाण्डुपुत्रोंकोी आगे करके हस्तिनापुर नगरमें जानेका विचार किया

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca te parasparam āmantṛya devakalpā maharṣayaḥ | pāṇḍoḥ putrān puraskṛtya nagaraṃ nāgasāhvayam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : S’étant consultés les uns les autres, ces grands sages, pareils aux dieux, décidèrent de se rendre à la cité nommée Nāgasāhvaya, plaçant en tête les fils de Pāṇḍu.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaishampayana

उवाचsaid

तेthey

परस्परम्mutually, with one another

आमन्त्र्यhaving consulted/invited (one another)

देवकल्पाःgod-like

महर्षयःgreat sages

पाण्डोःof Pandu

पुत्रान्sons

पुरस्कृत्यhaving placed in front, leading

नगरम्city

नागसाह्वयम्named 'Naga' (i.e., Hastinapura, 'called by the name of the Nagas')

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Mahārṣis (great sages)

Pāṇḍu

Pāṇḍava(s) (sons of Pāṇḍu)

Nāgasāhvaya (Hastināpura)

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?

Dharma here is expressed as prudent, collective decision-making for the welfare of vulnerable heirs: the sages deliberate together and choose a path that ensures the princes’ safety and rightful placement within established authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

After mutual consultation, the great sages decide to go to Nāgasāhvaya (Hastināpura), leading Pāṇḍu’s sons, so that the princes may be placed under the protection and oversight of the Kuru capital and its elders.