Shloka 23

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 53: Arjuna’s Jayadratha-vadha Pratijñā and Droṇa’s Protective Vyūha (शकटा-पद्म व्यूहः)

Devanagari script

पाणिशथ्यां प्रतिजग्राह तान्यश्रूणि पितामह: । सर्वभूतहितार्थाय तां चाप्यनुनयत्‌ तदा,पितामह ब्रह्माने उसके उन आँसुओंको समस्त प्राणियोंके हितके लिये अपने दोनों हाथोंमें ले लिया और उस नारीको भी अनुनयसे प्रसन्न किया

Transliteration

pāṇiśathyāṃ pratijagrāha tāny aśrūṇi pitāmahaḥ | sarvabhūtahitārthāya tāṃ cāpy anunayat tadā ||

Translation

Nārada dit : Alors l’Aïeul (Brahmā) recueillit ces larmes dans le creux de ses deux mains, pour le bien de tous les êtres ; et, en ce même instant, il apaisa aussi cette femme par une douce conciliation, la ramenant au calme.

Word by Word

पाणिशथ्यांin the hollow of (his) hands / in cupped hands

प्रतिजग्राहtook up, received

तानिthose

अश्रूणिtears

पितामहःthe Grandsire (Brahmā)

सर्वभूतहितार्थायfor the purpose of the welfare of all beings

ताम्her

चand

अपिalso

अनुनयत्conciliated, soothed, persuaded

तदाthen

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Pitāmaha (Brahmā)

an unnamed woman

tears (aśrūṇi)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid intense events, the higher duty is to act for the welfare of all beings (sarvabhūta-hita) and to respond to suffering with compassionate, calming speech (anunaya) rather than harshness or indifference.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada narrates that the Grandsire (Brahmā) tenderly receives a woman’s tears in his cupped hands—symbolically acknowledging and containing her grief—and then consoles her through gentle persuasion, restoring her composure for the greater good.