Shloka 15

धृतराष्ट्रस्य संजयप्रश्नः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry to Saṃjaya on Strategic Comparisons

Devanagari script

ततो5हमामन्त्रय तदा धनंजयं चतुर्भुजं चैव नमस्य सत्वर: । जवेन सम्प्राप्त इहामरघय़ूुते तवान्तिकं प्रापयितुं वचो महत्‌

Transliteration

tato ’ham āmantrya tadā dhanañjayaṁ caturbhujaṁ caiva namasya satvaraḥ | javena samprāpta ihāmararghyute tavāntikaṁ prāpayituṁ vaco mahat ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Kemudian aku berpamitan kepada Dhanañjaya dan dengan segera bersujud kepada Sang Bhagavān yang berlengan empat. Wahai raja yang kemuliaannya dihormati bahkan di antara para dewa, demi menyampaikan pesan yang berat itu kepadamu, aku bergegas datang kemari dengan secepatnya.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'tataḥ', 'meaning': 'then, thereafter'}, {'term': 'aham', 'meaning': 'I'}, {'term': 'āmantrya', 'meaning': 'having taken leave

• having asked permission to depart'}, {'term': 'tadā', 'meaning': 'at that time'}, {'term': 'dhanañjaya', 'meaning': 'Dhanañjaya

• Arjuna'}, {'term': 'caturbhuja', 'meaning': 'four-armed (epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa in divine form)'}, {'term': 'ca eva', 'meaning': 'and indeed/also'}, {'term': 'namasya', 'meaning': 'having bowed

• having paid homage'}, {'term': 'satvaraḥ', 'meaning': 'quickly, in haste'}, {'term': 'javena', 'meaning': 'with speed, swiftly'}, {'term': 'samprāptaḥ', 'meaning': 'arrived, reached'}, {'term': 'iha', 'meaning': 'here'}, {'term': 'amara-arghya-ute (amararghyute)', 'meaning': 'O one whose splendour/eminence is worthy of honour even by the immortals (a royal epithet)'}, {'term': 'tava antikam', 'meaning': 'to your presence

• near you'}, {'term': 'prāpayitum', 'meaning': 'to deliver, to convey'}, {'term': 'vacaḥ mahat', 'meaning': 'a great/weighty message

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• Caturbhuja Bhagavān (Śrī Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied addressee: 'tava antikam', 'O king')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical urgency and accountability in governance: when a grave decision like war approaches, truthful counsel must be conveyed promptly and respectfully. Sañjaya’s haste and reverence indicate that responsible speech and timely communication are themselves aspects of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After meeting Arjuna and paying homage to Kṛṣṇa in a divine (four-armed) aspect, Sañjaya departs immediately and arrives at the king’s side to deliver an important message—part of the tense pre-war exchanges in the Udyoga Parva.