Shloka 24

दुर्योधनकवचविमर्शः

Duryodhana’s Armor and the Tactical Reassessment

Devanagari script

आश्वासय स्नुषां राज्ञि मा शुच: क्षत्रिये भृशम्‌ । श्र: प्रियं न कक विशोका भव नन्दिनि,रानी बहिन! चिन्ता छोड़ो और बहूको धीरज बँधाओ। अपने कुलको आनन्दित करनेवाली क्षत्रियकन्ये! कल अत्यन्त प्रिय समाचार सुनकर शोकरहित हो जाओ

Transliteration

āśvāsaya snuṣāṃ rājñi mā śucaḥ kṣatriye bhṛśam | śvaḥ priyaṃ naḥ kaccid viśokā bhava nandini ||

Translation

Vāyu dit : «Console ta belle-fille, ô reine ; ne t’afflige pas outre mesure, ô dame kṣatriya. Demain, en entendant de nous une nouvelle heureuse, tu seras délivrée du chagrin, ô chère fille qui fait la joie de sa lignée.»

Word by Word

• {'āśvāsaya': 'comfort, reassure, console (imperative)', 'snuṣām': 'daughter-in-law', 'rājñi': 'O queen (vocative)', 'mā śucaḥ': 'do not grieve', 'kṣatriye': 'O Kṣatriya woman

• princess/warrior-born lady (vocative)', 'bhṛśam': 'excessively, greatly', 'śvaḥ': 'tomorrow', 'priyam': 'pleasant, dear, welcome (news)', 'naḥ': 'from us

• our', 'kaccit': 'indeed? perhaps? (particle of assurance/inquiry)', 'viśokā': 'free from grief, sorrowless', 'bhava': 'become (imperative)', 'nandini': 'O dear daughter

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• queen (rājñī)
• daughter-in-law (snuṣā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In the midst of war and loss, one should uphold kṣatriya steadiness: restrain excessive grief, support vulnerable family members, and act with responsible compassion by offering reassurance and hope.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses a grieving queen, instructing her to encourage her daughter-in-law and to stop intense lamentation, promising that by the next day she will hear pleasing news and become free from sorrow.