Shloka 6

चित्रसेन-समागमः / The Engagement with Citrasena and the Gandharvas

Devanagari script

तव वश्या हि सततं पाण्डवा: प्रियदर्शने । मुखप्रेक्षाश्न ते सर्वे तत्त्वमेतद्‌ ब्रवीहि मे,'प्रियदर्शने! क्या कारण है कि पाण्डव सदा तुम्हारे अधीन रहते हैं और सब-के-सब तुम्हारे मुंठकी ओर देखते रहते हैं? इसका यथार्थ रहस्य मुझे बताओ

Transliteration

tava vaśyā hi satataṃ pāṇḍavāḥ priyadarśane | mukhaprekṣāś ca te sarve tattvam etad bravīhi me ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “O fair-faced one, the Pāṇḍavas are always under your influence, and all of them keep their eyes fixed upon your face, as if awaiting your word. Tell me the true reason for this—what is the real secret behind their constant deference to you?”

Word by Word

• {'tava': 'of you

• your', 'vaśyāḥ': 'subject to control

• under influence', 'hi': 'indeed

• surely', 'satataṃ': 'always

• continually', 'pāṇḍavāḥ': 'the sons of Pāṇḍu

• the Pāṇḍava brothers', 'priyadarśane': 'O pleasant-to-behold one

• O fair-faced lady (vocative)', 'mukha': 'face

• mouth', 'prekṣāḥ': 'looking at

• those who look (here: intent on looking)', 'ca': 'and', 'te': 'your

• of you', 'sarve': 'all', 'tattvam': 'truth

• inner fact', 'etat': 'this', 'bravīhi': 'tell

• speak (imperative)', 'me': 'to me'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• Priyadarśanā (addressed person)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical basis of authority: true influence is not mere power but the trust and moral weight that makes others willingly defer. The question implies that the Pāṇḍavas’ obedience arises from recognized virtue, wisdom, or rightful conduct in the addressed person.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana, narrating the epic, reports a speaker’s inquiry to a woman addressed as “Priyadarśanā.” He asks why the Pāṇḍavas remain consistently under her influence and why they watch her face attentively, requesting the genuine explanation behind their deference.