Shloka 16

Devanagari script

तत आश्शलिष्य त॑ प्रेम्णा मूर्थ्नि चाप्राय पाण्डव: । प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो विस्मयंश्व पुनः पुन:

Transliteration

tata āśliṣya taṁ premṇā mūrdhni cāghrāya pāṇḍavaḥ | prītyā paramayā yukto vismayaṁś ca punaḥ punaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the Pāṇḍava embraced him with affection and kissed (smelled) his head. Filled with the highest joy, he kept expressing wonder again and again—an intimate gesture of kinship and reverence that momentarily softens the harshness of war with humane gratitude and recognition.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb: 'from that/then')

• आश्लिष्य: having embraced
• आश्लिष्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√श्लिष्
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having embraced'

• प्रेम्णा: with affection/love
• प्रेम्णा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेमन्
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन्
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable

• अपार्य: having approached (reading uncertain)
• अपार्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-√ऋ (अर्/ऋ गतौ) / अप-√इ (इ गतौ) (uncertain reading)
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), reading uncertain; sense: 'having approached/come near'

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रीत्या: with joy/pleasure
• प्रीत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular

• परमया: supreme, very great
• परमया: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular (agreeing with प्रीत्या)

• युक्तः: endowed/filled (with)
• युक्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √युज्
• Form: past passive participle (क्त), masculine nominative singular

• विस्मयन्: marvelling, being astonished
• विस्मयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मि (विस्मय)
• Form: present active participle (शतृ), masculine nominative singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः
• Form: indeclinable

• पुनः: again (repeated: 'again and again')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः
• Form: indeclinable

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• पाण्डव (Pāṇḍava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid a battlefield narrative, the epic highlights dharmic humanity: affection, respect, and gratitude are not erased by conflict. The head-kiss (āghrāya mūrdhni) signals reverence and intimate goodwill, reminding that ethical conduct includes tenderness and recognition of bonds.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a Pāṇḍava, overwhelmed with supreme joy, embraces a person and kisses/smells his head in affection, repeatedly expressing amazement—indicating an emotionally charged meeting or recognition within the larger war setting.