Shloka 21
शल्यपर्वणि प्रथमाध्यायः — Karṇa-vadha-anantaraṃ Śalya-niyogaḥ, Saṃjayasya Dhṛtarāṣṭra-nivedanam
Devanagari script
तथा स विदह्वल: सूत: प्रविश्य नृपतिक्षयम्
Transliteration
tathā sa vidhahvalaḥ sūtaḥ praviśya nṛpati-kṣayam
Translation
वैशम्पायन बोले—इस प्रकार वह व्याकुल और विचलित सारथि, अशुभ समाचारों का भार और युद्धजन्य धर्मसंकट हृदय में धारण किए, राजा के अन्तःपुर में प्रविष्ट हुआ।
Word by Word
तथाthus, in that manner
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
विदह्वलःagitated, bewildered
विदह्वलः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootविदह्वल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सूतःcharioteer
सूतः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसूत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रविश्यhaving entered
प्रविश्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-विश्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
नृपति-क्षयम्the king's abode/palace (lit. 'king-dwelling')
नृपति-क्षयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनृपति-क्षय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaS
sūta (charioteer/messenger)N
nṛpati (the king)N
nṛpati-kṣaya (the king’s residence)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Even those not fighting—messengers, attendants, and charioteers—are morally and emotionally affected by war; the verse highlights the human cost and the burden of conveying painful truth within the royal sphere.
A distressed sūta (charioteer/messenger) goes into the king’s residence, implying he is about to report urgent and troubling developments from the battlefield or court affairs.