Shloka 43

Vyāsa’s Inquiry into Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Tapas and the Identification of Vidura with Dharma

Devanagari script

ते मात्रा समनुज्ञाता राज्ञा च कुरुपुड़वा:

Transliteration

te mātrā samanujñātā rājñā ca kurupuṅgavāḥ

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Ayant reçu l’autorisation de leur mère, et aussi du roi, ces premiers parmi les Kuru se mirent en route, avec le respect dû aux aînés et à l’autorité légitime, conformément au dharma.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मात्रा: by (their) mother
• मात्रा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• समनुज्ञाता: having been permitted/allowed
• समनुज्ञाता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अनु + ज्ञा
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कुरुपुङ्गवाः: the foremost among the Kurus
• कुरुपुङ्गवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु + पुङ्गव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• mother (mātā)
• king (rājā)
• Kurus (Kuru lineage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct: important actions should be undertaken only after obtaining proper consent from rightful authorities—especially one’s mother/elders and the king—showing humility, restraint, and respect for social and familial order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the leading members of the Kuru line receive formal leave from their mother and from the king, indicating that their next step (departure or undertaking) is sanctioned and therefore ethically proper within the story’s framework.