Shloka 1

Devanagari script

/ हि >> न [हुक है 7 चतुःषष्ट्यधिकशततमो< ध्याय: पाण्डवोंकी अर्जुनके लिये उत्कण्ठा और अर्जुनका आगमन वैशम्पायन उवाच तस्मिन्‌ नगेन्‍्द्रे वसतां तु तेषां महात्मनां सद्व्र॒तमास्थितानाम्‌ | रति: प्रमोदश्च॒ बभूव तेषा- माकाड्क्षतां दर्शनमर्जुनस्य,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! उस पर्वतराज गन्धमादनपर उत्तम व्रतका आश्रय ले निवास करते हुए अर्जुनके दर्शनकी इच्छा रखनेवाले महामना पाण्डवोंके मनमें अत्यन्त प्रेम और आनन्दका प्रादुर्भाव हुआ

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | tasmin nagendre vasatāṃ tu teṣāṃ mahātmanāṃ sadvratam āsthitānām | ratiḥ pramodaś ca babhūva teṣām ākāṅkṣatāṃ darśanam arjunasya ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: While those great-souled Pāṇḍavas were dwelling on that king of mountains, steadfast in their noble vows, a deep affection and gladness arose in them, for they longed to behold Arjuna. Their disciplined life in exile is shown not as mere hardship, but as a dharmic resolve sustained by love, hope, and fidelity to one another.

Word by Word

तस्मिन्in that

नगेन्द्रेon the king of mountains

वसताम्of (those) dwelling

तुindeed/and

तेषाम्of them

महात्मनाम्of the great-souled ones

सद्व्रतम्good vow/holy observance

आस्थितानाम्of (those) having undertaken/observing

रतिःaffection/delight

प्रमोदःjoy

चand

बभूवarose/was

तेषाम्for them/of them

आकाङ्क्षताम्of (those) desiring

दर्शनम्seeing/sight

अर्जुनस्यof Arjuna

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

Pāṇḍavas

Gandhamādana (mountain)

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?

Even amid exile, dharma is sustained through steadfast vows and mutual loyalty. The verse highlights that righteous discipline (sad-vrata) does not dry up the heart; it can coexist with—and even deepen—love, hope, and joy rooted in family duty and shared purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Pāṇḍavas are living on the Gandhamādana mountain, observing noble vows. As they await Arjuna and yearn for his return, a surge of affection and happiness arises in them at the prospect of seeing him.