Shloka 131

Ritual Acclamation at Hastināpura and Karṇa’s Vow Concerning Arjuna (राजकीय स्तुति-प्रसङ्गः कर्णप्रतिज्ञा च)

Devanagari script

सैनिका ऊचु: प्रियदर्शी महाबाहुर्धातराष्ट्री महाबल: । गन्धर्वर्हियते राजा पार्थास्तमनुधावत

Transliteration

sainikā ūcuḥ: priyadarśī mahābāhur dhārtarāṣṭrī mahābalaḥ | gandharvair hriyate rājā pārthās tam anudhāvata ||

Translation

The soldiers said: “The handsome, mighty-armed, and very powerful Dhārtarāṣṭra prince—our king—is being carried off by the Gandharvas. O sons of Pṛthā, pursue them!”

Word by Word

सैनिकाःsoldiers

ऊचुःsaid

प्रियदर्शीpleasant-looking / of pleasing appearance

महाबाहुःmighty-armed

धृतराष्ट्रीDhṛtarāṣṭrī (a woman of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s line / named Dhṛtarāṣṭrī)

महाबलःvery strong / mighty

गन्धर्वैःby the Gandharvas

ह्रियतेis being carried off / is being taken away

राजाthe king

पार्थाःthe sons of Pṛthā (the Pāṇḍavas)

तम्him

अनुधावतran after / pursued

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

sainikāḥ (soldiers)

Dhārtarāṣṭra prince (Kaurava)

Gandharvas

Pārthas (Pāṇḍavas)

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?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in crisis: when a ruler or ally is seized, warriors are expected to respond swiftly and decisively. It also frames honor and responsibility as communal—soldiers appeal to the Pāṇḍavas to act, implying that courage and protection of the vulnerable are ethical imperatives even amid rivalry.

What is happening in the narrative?

The troops announce that a powerful Dhārtarāṣṭra prince (a Kaurava leader) is being abducted by Gandharvas and urgently call upon the Pāṇḍavas (Pārthas) to chase the abductors. The scene sets up a pursuit/rescue action within the forest narrative of the Vana Parva.