Shloka 31

अध्याय ८ — शल्यस्य सत्कारः, वरदानं, पाण्डवसमागमश्च (Śalya’s Reception, the Boon, and Meeting the Pāṇḍavas)

Devanagari script

अज्ञातवासं घोरं च वसता दुष्करं कृतम्‌ । दुःखमेव कुत:ः सौख्य॑ भ्रष्टराज्यस्य भारत

Transliteration

ajñātavāsaṃ ghoraṃ ca vasatā duṣkaraṃ kṛtam | duḥkham eva kutaḥ saukhyaṃ bhraṣṭarājyasya bhārata ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Vous avez aussi mené à bien la redoutable vie dans la dissimulation (l’exil sous incognito), œuvre des plus difficiles. Pour qui a été privé de son royaume, il n’est que souffrance : d’où pourrait venir le bonheur, ô Bhārata ?»

Word by Word

• अज्ञातवासम्: unknown residence (incognito exile)
• अज्ञातवासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञातवास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• वसता: by living (while dwelling)
• वसता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• दुष्करम्: difficult (thing)
• दुष्करम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृतम्: done, accomplished
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• दुःखम्: sorrow, suffering
• दुःखम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• कुतः: whence? how (could it be)?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः

• सौख्यम्: happiness, comfort
• सौख्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौख्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भ्रष्टराज्यस्य: of one deprived of kingdom
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रष्टराज्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhārata (addressee; Kuru/Pāṇḍava descendant)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Loss of rightful sovereignty brings unavoidable hardship; when one is dispossessed, comfort is not easily possible. The verse underscores endurance and the ethical weight of unjust deprivation of a kingdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker reflects on the Pāṇḍavas’ completion of the perilous incognito year (ajñātavāsa) and remarks that, being deprived of their kingdom, their condition naturally yields suffering rather than happiness.