Shloka 43

Devanagari script

ततो व्यतीते पृषते स राजा द्रुपदो5भवत्‌ | पज्चालेषु महाबाहुरुत्तरेषु नरेश्वर,नरेश्वर जनमेजय! पृषतकी मृत्यु हो जानेपर महाबाहु ट्रुपद उत्तर-पंचाल देशके राजा हुए

Transliteration

tato vyatīte pṛṣate sa rājā drupado 'bhavat | pāñcāleṣu mahābāhur uttareṣu nareśvara janamejaya ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: After King Pṛṣata had passed away, the mighty-armed Drupada became the ruler among the Pāñcālas of the northern region, O King Janamejaya. The succession is presented as a lawful transfer of kingship, emphasizing continuity of governance and the stability of the realm after a ruler’s death.

Word by Word

ततःthen/thereafter

व्यतीतेwhen (it) had passed

पृषतेin/after Pṛṣata (i.e., when Pṛṣata was gone)

सःhe

राजाking

द्रुपदःDrupada

अभवत्became/was

पञ्चालेषुamong/in the Pañcālas

महाबाहुःmighty-armed

उत्तरेषुnorthern

नरेश्वरO lord of men (king)

जनमेजयO Janamejaya

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pṛṣata

Drupada

Pāñcāla (Pāñcālas)

Uttara-Pāñcāla (northern Pañcāla)

Janamejaya

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 underscores orderly succession as a facet of rājadharma: when a ruler dies, legitimate transfer of authority preserves stability and protects the people. It also reflects the epic’s concern with continuity of lineage and governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana informs King Janamejaya that after King Pṛṣata’s death, Drupada assumed kingship over the northern Pāñcālas, marking the next stage in the Pañcāla royal line.