Shloka 2

अध्याय १: महाप्रस्थानारम्भः

The Commencement of the Great Departure

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच श्र॒त्वैवं कौरवो राजा वृष्णीनां कदनं महत्‌ | प्रस्थाने मतिमाधाय वाक्यमर्जुनमब्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: śrutvaivaṁ Kauravo rājā Vṛṣṇīnāṁ kadanaṁ mahat | prasthāne matim ādhāya vākyam Arjunam abravīt ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Lorsque le roi des Kuru (Yudhiṣṭhira) eut ainsi appris le grand massacre des Vṛṣṇi, il arrêta son esprit sur le Grand Départ, puis adressa à Arjuna ces paroles—

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• कौरवः: the Kaurava (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• कौरवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृष्णीनाम्: of the Vṛṣṇis
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कदनम्: slaughter, destruction
• कदनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कदन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महत्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रस्थाने: in/for the departure (great journey)
• प्रस्थाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मतिम्: intention, resolve
• मतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आधाय: having fixed/placed (his mind)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), आ

• वाक्यम्: words, speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna
• अर्जुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Arjuna
• Vṛṣṇis
• Kuru (dynasty/kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical pivot from worldly sovereignty to renunciation: even mighty lineages perish, so a dharmic ruler, seeing the fragility of power and kinship, turns his mind toward detachment and the final journey.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira hears the news of the great destruction of the Vṛṣṇi clan. In response, he resolves to undertake the Mahāprasthāna (the Great Departure) and begins by addressing Arjuna.