Shloka 12

Duryodhana’s Account of Gandharva Defeat and the Pandavas’ Intervention (दुर्योधनवर्णितो गन्धर्वसंग्रामः)

Devanagari script

तथार्जुन: सुकुमारो मनस्वी वशे स्थितो धर्मसुतस्य राज्ञ: । विदूयमानैरिव सर्वगात्रै- र्धुवं न शेते वसतीरमर्षात्‌,“इसी प्रकार सुकुमार एवं मनस्वी अर्जुन, जो सदा धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरके अधीन रहते हैं, अमर्षके कारण उनके सारे अंगोंमें संताप हो रहा होगा और निश्चय ही उन्हें अपनी कुटियामें अच्छी तरह नींद नहीं आती होगी

Transliteration

tathārjunaḥ sukumāro manasvī vaśe sthito dharmasutasya rājñaḥ | vidūyamānair iva sarvagātrair dhruvaṃ na śete vasatīr amarṣāt ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “So too Arjuna—tender in body yet strong in resolve—who remains under the authority of the king, Dharma’s son (Yudhiṣṭhira): with all his limbs as though burning with inner torment, surely does not sleep well in his dwelling, consumed by indignation.”

Word by Word

• {'tathā': 'thus, in the same manner', 'arjunaḥ': 'Arjuna (Pāṇḍava hero)', 'sukumāraḥ': 'delicate, tender (by constitution/comfort)', 'manasvī': 'high-spirited, resolute, strong-minded', 'vaśe sthitaḥ': 'standing under control

• obedient to the authority of', 'dharmasutasya': 'of Dharma’s son

• epithet of Yudhiṣṭhira', 'rājñaḥ': 'of the king', 'vidūyamānaiḥ': 'being scorched/burned

• tormented (instrumental plural)', 'iva': 'as if', 'sarvagātraiḥ': 'with all limbs

• in every part of the body', 'dhruvam': 'certainly, surely', 'na śete': 'does not lie down/sleep', 'vasatīm': 'dwelling, residence, hut', 'amarṣāt': 'from intolerance/indignation

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmasuta, Dharmarāja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between disciplined obedience to a righteous leader (Yudhiṣṭhira) and the warrior’s natural indignation at injustice. Arjuna’s restraint is shown as costly: even while remaining under Dharmarāja’s control, his moral anger burns within, disturbing his peace.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Arjuna’s state during the forest-exile context: though outwardly compliant with Yudhiṣṭhira’s decisions, Arjuna is inwardly tormented by amarṣa (indignant intolerance of wrong), so much so that he cannot sleep properly in his dwelling.