Shloka 2

धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रनामावलिः (Roster of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Children) / Names of the Kauravas in Order

Devanagari script

त॑ दृष्टवा रक्षिणस्तत्र तथा बहुतिथेडहनि । न्यवेदयंस्तथा राज्ञे यथावृत्तं नराधिप,महाराज! रक्षकोंने बहुत दिनोंतक उन्हें शूलपर बैठे देख राजाके पास जा वह सब समाचार ज्यों-का-त्यों निवेदन किया

Transliteration

taṁ dṛṣṭvā rakṣiṇas tatra tathā bahutitheḍahani | nyavedayaṁs tathā rājñe yathāvṛttaṁ narādhipa mahārāja |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing him there in that condition for many days, the guards went and reported to the king—O lord of men, O great king—exactly what had happened, just as it occurred. The episode underscores the duty of watchmen to convey truthfully what they witness, without concealment or distortion, especially when public order and royal responsibility are involved.

Word by Word

तत्that (event/thing)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

रक्षिणःguards, watchmen

तत्रthere

तथाthus, in that manner

बहुतिथेfor many days (lit. in many days/time)

अहनिon the day / in the day-time

न्यवेदयन्they reported, they informed

तथाthus, likewise

राज्ञेto the king

यथाas, just as

वृत्तम्what happened, the occurrence

नराधिपO lord of men (king)

महाराजO great king

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

rakṣiṇaḥ (guards)

rājā (the king)

śūla (stake/impalement stake; implied by the accompanying Hindi gloss)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma in administration: those entrusted with protection must report truthfully and promptly to authority. Accurate testimony (yathāvṛttam) is presented as an ethical obligation that supports justice and orderly governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

The guards observe someone remaining in a severe condition for many days (contextually, seated/placed on a stake as per the accompanying gloss). They then approach the king and relay the full account exactly as they witnessed it.