Shloka 16

धृतराष्ट्रस्य पश्चात्तापः तथा वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse and Request for Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

पुरं च ते सुगुप्तं स्थाद्‌ दृढप्राकारतोरणम्‌ । अट्टाष्टालकसम्बाधं षट्पदं सर्वतोदिशम्‌

Transliteration

puraṁ ca te sugup­taṁ sthād dṛḍha-prākāra-toraṇam | aṭṭāṣṭālaka-sambādhaṁ ṣaṭpadaṁ sarvato-diśam ||

Translation

वैशम्पायन बोले—तुम्हारा नगर भली-भाँति सुरक्षित रहे। उसकी प्राकार-दीवारें और मुख्य तोरण-द्वार अत्यन्त दृढ़ हों। भीतर का भाग ऊँची अट्टालिकाओं और प्रहरी-स्थानों से घना हो, और सब दिशाओं में छः प्रकार की रक्षा-व्यवस्थाएँ फैली हों।

Word by Word

• {'puram': 'city, fortified town', 'te': 'your (for you)', 'suguptam': 'well-guarded, securely protected', 'sthāt': 'should be

• let it be (injunctive/benedictive sense)', 'dṛḍha': 'firm, strong, solid', 'prākāra': 'rampart, surrounding wall', 'toraṇa': 'gateway, main gate/archway', 'aṭṭa': 'watchtower

• tall defensive structure', 'aṣṭālaka': 'fortified building/stronghold (contextual: defensive constructions within the city)', 'sambādham': 'crowded, filled, densely packed', 'ṣaṭpadam': 'sixfold (here: six layers/lines of defense

• lit. ‘having six steps/parts’)', 'sarvataḥ-diśam': 'in all directions

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• pura (city)
• prākāra (ramparts/walls)
• toraṇa (gateways)
• aṭṭa (watchtowers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma includes proactive protection: strong fortifications, vigilant planning, and layered defenses are ethical duties because they safeguard citizens and prevent avoidable harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports counsel about governance and preparedness, describing how a city should be secured—strong walls and gates, internal watchtowers, and multiple defensive layers in every direction.