Shloka 31

अध्याय १५ (Āśramavāsika-parva): धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनवासानुज्ञायाचनम् — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s renewed plea for consent to forest-dwelling

Devanagari script

सा पुत्रान्‌ रुदतः सर्वान्‌ मुहुर्मुहुरवेक्षती । जगामैव महाप्राज्ञा वनाय कृतनिश्चया

Transliteration

sā putrān rudataḥ sarvān muhur muhur avekṣatī | jagāmaiva mahāprājñā vanāya kṛtaniścayā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Kuntī, d’une grande sagesse et résolue à entrer dans la forêt, regardait sans cesse ses fils en pleurs; mais, véritablement avisée, elle continua d’avancer sans se retourner.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रुदतः: crying
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुद्
• Form: Shatru (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मुहुः: again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः

• अवेक्षती: looks at
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-ईक्ष्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• जगाम: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Perfect (Lit), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महाप्राज्ञा: very wise (woman)
• महाप्राज्ञा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाप्राज्ञा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वनाय: to the forest
• वनाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Dative, Singular

• कृतनिश्चया: having made a firm resolve
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतनिश्चया
• Form: Past passive participle (kta) used adjectivally, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kuntī
• sons (the Pāṇḍavas, implied)
• forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in dharma through renunciation: even when affection and grief pull one back, a person of mature wisdom holds to a chosen path of duty and spiritual withdrawal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kuntī, having firmly decided on forest life, proceeds toward the forest. As she walks, she repeatedly looks back at her sons who are crying, but she does not stop or return.