Shloka 7

स्त्रीपर्व — नवमोऽध्यायः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra summons the Kuru women; the city departs in collective lamentation

Devanagari script

पुत्राणामथ पौत्राणां पितृणां च महीपते | आनुपूर्व्येण सर्वेषां प्रेतकार्याणि कारय,महाराज! अब आप क्रमश: अपने ताऊ, चाचा, पुत्र और पौत्रोंका मृतकसम्बन्धी कर्म करवाइये

Transliteration

putrāṇām atha pautrāṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ ca mahīpate | ānupūrvyena sarveṣāṁ pretakāryāṇi kāraya ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O king, have the funerary rites performed—one after another in proper order—for all: for your sons, your grandsons, and your elders (fathers/forefathers).” The verse underscores the ethical urgency of completing the duties owed to the dead after the devastation of war, restoring order through prescribed rites.

Word by Word

• पुत्राणाम्: of the sons
• पुत्राणाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अथ: then/and now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• पौत्राणाम्: of the grandsons
• पौत्राणाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पितृणाम्: of the fathers/forefathers
• पितृणाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महीपते: O king (lord of the earth)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• आनुपूर्व्येण: in due order/sequence
• आनुपूर्व्येण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनुपूर्व्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• सर्वेषाम्: of all (of them)
• सर्वेषाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• प्रेतकार्याणि: funeral/obsequial rites (acts for the departed)
• प्रेतकार्याणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• कारय: have (them) performed / cause to be done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (णिच् causative: कारयति)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by mahīpate/king)
• sons
• grandsons
• fathers/forefathers (pitṛs)
• funerary rites (pretakārya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid overwhelming grief after war, dharma requires completing obligatory rites for the departed. Performing pretakārya in proper sequence affirms responsibility to family lineage and helps restore moral and social order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) and urges him to arrange the funerary rites for the slain members of his family—sons, grandsons, and elders—carrying out the death-related duties in due order.