Shloka 16

Khāṇḍava-dāha: Strategic containment and Indra’s rain (Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 217)

Devanagari script

अलंकृता द्वारका तु बभूव जनमेजय । कुन्तीपुत्रस्य पूजार्थमपि निष्कुटकेष्वपि,जनमेजय! उस समय कुन्तीकुमारके स्वागतके लिये समूची द्वारकापुरी सजायी गयी थी तथा वहाँके घरोंके बगीचेतक सजाये गये थे

Transliteration

alaṅkṛtā dvārakā tu babhūva janamejaya | kuntīputrasya pūjārtham api niṣkuṭakeṣv api ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Ô Janamejaya, la cité de Dvārakā fut magnifiquement parée — jusque dans les enclos des jardins privés — afin d’honorer et d’accueillir le fils de Kuntī.

Word by Word

अलंकृताadorned, decorated

द्वारकाDvaraka (the city)

तुindeed, but

बभूवbecame, was

जनमेजयO Janamejaya

कुन्तीपुत्रस्यof Kunti's son

पूजार्थम्for the purpose of honoring/worship

अपिalso, even

निष्कुटकेषुin the gardens/inner courtyards (of houses)

अपिeven, also

जनमेजयO Janamejaya

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Dvārakā

Kuntīputra (son of Kuntī)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the dharma of honoring a worthy guest: respect is shown through collective, tangible acts—beautifying the city and even private spaces—reflecting sincerity, gratitude, and social responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana tells King Janamejaya that Dvārakā was decorated throughout, even in household garden-enclosures, to welcome and honor Kuntī’s son (a Pāṇḍava prince, commonly understood as Arjuna in this context).