Shloka 14

Kṛṣṇa at Duryodhana’s House: Refusal of Hospitality and Departure to Vidura (कृष्णस्य धार्तराष्ट्रनिवेशनगमनम्)

Devanagari script

प्रासादाग्रेष्वबो ध्यन्त राइकवाजिनशायिन: । क़रूरं च निनदं श्रुत्वा श्वापदानां महावने

Transliteration

prāsādāgreṣv abodhyanta raikavājināśayinaḥ | krūraṃ ca ninadaṃ śrutvā śvāpādānāṃ mahāvane ||

Translation

વૈશંપાયન બોલ્યા: મહેલોના ઉપરના મંડપોમાં સૂતા લોકો મહાવનમાં શ્વાપદોના ક્રૂર, અશુભ નાદને સાંભળી જાગી ઊઠ્યા.

Word by Word

• प्रासादाग्रेषु: on the tops of palaces
• प्रासादाग्रेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासादाग्र
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• अबोध्यन्त: were awakened / awoke
• अबोध्यन्त: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Plural, Atmanepada, Passive

• रैकवाजिनशायिनः: those who slept on beds/vehicles with horses (horse-borne/horse-equipped sleepers)
• रैकवाजिनशायिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रैकवाजिनशायिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• क्रूरम्: cruel, harsh
• क्रूरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• निनदम्: sound, roar, din
• निनदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निनद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• श्वापदानाम्: of wild beasts/predators
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वापद
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• महावने: in the great forest
• महावने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• palaces (prāsāda)
• great forest (mahāvana)
• wild beasts/predators (śvāpada)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how disorder in the wider world can penetrate even the most fortified human spaces: ominous natural sounds become narrative signs that security based on status and architecture is fragile when adharma and conflict are gathering.

What is happening in the narrative?

People sleeping on palace rooftops/terraces are awakened by the harsh roaring/cries of wild beasts coming from the great forest, creating an atmosphere of alarm and suggesting an ominous turn in events.