Shloka 57

धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Sañjaya on Arjuna’s Indraloka report and the political consequences

Devanagari script

स चापि ते<र्थकृत्‌ तात साधकश्न भविष्यति,“महाबाहो! तुमने अपने धैर्य (इन्द्रियसंयम)-के द्वारा ऋषियोंको भी पराजित कर दिया है। मानद! उर्वशीने जो तुम्हें शाप दिया है, वह तुम्हारे अभीष्ट अर्थका साधक होगा। अनघ! तुम्हें भूतलपर तेरहवें वर्षमें अज्ञातवास करना है। वीर! उर्वशीके दिये हुए शापको तुम उसी वर्षमें पूर्ण कर दोगे”

Transliteration

sa cāpi te ’rthakṛt tāta sādhakaś ca bhaviṣyati | mahābāho! tvayā dhairyeṇa (indriyasaṃyamena) ṛṣayo ’pi parājitāḥ | mānada! urvaśyā yo ’yaṃ śāpas te dattaḥ sa te ’bhīṣṭārthasya sādhako bhaviṣyati | anagha! bhūtale trayodaśe varṣe te ’jñātavāso bhaviṣyati | vīra! urvaśyā dattaṃ śāpaṃ tvaṃ tasminn eva varṣe paripūrayiṣyasi ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “And that very curse, dear one, will also prove to be the means of accomplishing your purpose. Mighty-armed hero, by your steadfast self-control you have surpassed even the sages. O worthy of honor, the curse that Urvaśī laid upon you will become an instrument for what you desire. Blameless one, you must live in concealment on earth in the thirteenth year; and, O warrior, in that very year you will fulfill the curse given by Urvaśī.”

Word by Word

• {'vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca': 'Vaiśaṃpāyana said', 'sa cāpi': 'and that also

• and that very (thing)', 'te': 'for you

• your', 'arthakṛt': 'purpose-accomplishing

• producing the intended result', 'tāta': 'dear one

• child (term of address)', 'sādhakaḥ': 'accomplisher

• effective means', 'bhaviṣyati': 'will be', 'mahābāho': 'O mighty-armed (epithet of a hero)', 'dhairya': 'steadfastness

• composure', 'indriyasaṃyama': 'restraint of the senses

• self-control', 'ṛṣayaḥ': 'sages', 'parājitāḥ': 'defeated

• surpassed', 'mānada': 'O honor-giver

• one who deserves respect', 'urvaśī': 'Urvaśī (the celestial nymph)', 'śāpa': 'curse', 'abhīṣṭārtha': 'desired aim/purpose', 'anagha': 'blameless one', 'bhūtala': 'the earth

• ground', 'trayodaśa varṣa': 'the thirteenth year', 'ajñātavāsa': 'living incognito

• concealed residence', 'vīra': 'hero

• warrior', 'paripūrayiṣyasi': 'you will complete/fulfill'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Urvaśī
• Ṛṣis (sages)
• the hero addressed (Arjuna, implied)
• Bhūtala (earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Steadfast self-control (indriyasaṃyama) is praised as a power that can surpass even ascetics, and adverse events—like a curse—can become instruments for fulfilling dharmic aims when met with composure and foresight.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator explains that Urvaśī’s curse will not ruin the hero; instead it will serve his larger purpose, because during the required thirteenth year of incognito exile on earth he will ‘complete’ the curse—turning a seeming misfortune into a strategic advantage.