Shloka 37

Duryodhana Seized by Citraseṇa; Kaurava Petition to Yudhiṣṭhira (दुर्योधनापहारः / चित्रसेनगन्धर्वग्रहणम्)

Devanagari script

द्विपज्चरात्र॑ तिष्ठन्ति सततं सूतिकागृहे । कद्रू: सूक्ष्मवपुर्भूत्वा गर्भिणीं प्रविशत्यथ

Transliteration

Dvipañcarātraṁ tiṣṭhanti satataṁ sūtikāgṛhe | Kadrūḥ sūkṣmavapurbhūtvā garbhiṇīṁ praviśaty atha ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “For two nights and five nights they remain continually in the lying-in chamber. Then Kadrū, assuming an exceedingly subtle form, enters the pregnant one.”

Word by Word

द्विपelephants

चand

रात्रम्night (for the night)

तिष्ठन्तिthey stay/stand

सततम्constantly, always

सूतिका-गृहेin the lying-in chamber (maternity room)

कद्रूःKadru

सूक्ष्म-वपुःa subtle body/form

भूत्वाhaving become

गर्भिणीम्the pregnant (woman)

प्रविशतिenters

अथthen

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Kadrū

sūtikāgṛha (lying-in chamber)

garbhiṇī (pregnant woman)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how hidden intentions and subtle interventions can shape outcomes around birth and lineage; ethically, it cautions that unseen actions—especially in vulnerable contexts like childbirth—may have far-reaching consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a period of seclusion in the maternity chamber, after which Kadrū takes on a minute, subtle form and enters a pregnant woman, indicating a supernatural or covert influence on the pregnancy.