Shloka 17

Devanagari script

सो<नुमान्य नरश्रेष्ठान्‌ पाण्डवान्‌ कुरुनन्दनान्‌ । नियोगाद्‌ राजसिंहस्य गन्तुमरहसि सत्तम,साधुशिरोमणे! आप कुरुकुलको आनन्दित करनेवाले इन नरश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवोंसे आदरपूर्वक विदा लेकर महाराजके आदेशसे शीघ्र उनके पास चलें

Transliteration

so 'numānya naraśreṣṭhān pāṇḍavān kurunandanān | niyogād rājasiṃhasya gantum arhasi sattama sādhūśiromaṇe ||

Translation

Setelah memberi penghormatan yang semestinya kepada para Pāṇḍava—manusia-manusia utama, kebanggaan wangsa Kuru—dan berpamitan dengan hormat, engkau patut berangkat tanpa menunda, sebab demikianlah titah sang raja laksana singa. Wahai yang terbaik di antara insan berbudi, layak bagimu untuk pergi.

Word by Word

सःhe

अनुमान्यhaving taken leave of / having respectfully dismissed

नरश्रेष्ठान्the best of men

पाण्डवान्the Pandavas

कुरुनन्दनान्delighters of the Kurus

नियोगात्by/under the command (lit. from the injunction)

राजसिंहस्यof the lion among kings

गन्तुम्to go

अर्हसिyou ought / you are fit

सत्तमO best of the good

साधुशिरोमणेO crest-jewel among the virtuous

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāṇḍavas

Kuru dynasty

the king (rājasiṃha; implied royal authority)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct in public life: even when acting under royal orders, one should first honor the virtuous and take respectful leave. Duty (niyoga) is to be carried out, but with proper etiquette and reverence toward worthy persons.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya instructs the addressed person to respectfully bid farewell to the Pāṇḍavas—praised as the pride of the Kuru line—and then proceed promptly to the king, since the king has issued an order requiring immediate action.