Shloka 23

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 53: Arjuna’s Jayadratha-vadha Pratijñā and Droṇa’s Protective Vyūha (शकटा-पद्म व्यूहः)

Devanagari script

पाणिशथ्यां प्रतिजग्राह तान्यश्रूणि पितामह: । सर्वभूतहितार्थाय तां चाप्यनुनयत्‌ तदा,पितामह ब्रह्माने उसके उन आँसुओंको समस्त प्राणियोंके हितके लिये अपने दोनों हाथोंमें ले लिया और उस नारीको भी अनुनयसे प्रसन्न किया

Transliteration

pāṇiśathyāṃ pratijagrāha tāny aśrūṇi pitāmahaḥ | sarvabhūtahitārthāya tāṃ cāpy anunayat tadā ||

Translation

ナーラダは言った。「そのとき祖父神（ブラフマー）は、あらゆる生きとし生けるものの安寧のために、その涙を両の掌のくぼみに受けとめられた。そして同時に、柔らかな宥めの言葉でその女を慰め、心を鎮めさせた。」

Word by Word

पाणिशथ्यांin the hollow of (his) hands / in cupped hands

प्रतिजग्राहtook up, received

तानिthose

अश्रूणिtears

पितामहःthe Grandsire (Brahmā)

सर्वभूतहितार्थायfor the purpose of the welfare of all beings

ताम्her

चand

अपिalso

अनुनयत्conciliated, soothed, persuaded

तदाthen

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Pitāmaha (Brahmā)

an unnamed woman

tears (aśrūṇi)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid intense events, the higher duty is to act for the welfare of all beings (sarvabhūta-hita) and to respond to suffering with compassionate, calming speech (anunaya) rather than harshness or indifference.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada narrates that the Grandsire (Brahmā) tenderly receives a woman’s tears in his cupped hands—symbolically acknowledging and containing her grief—and then consoles her through gentle persuasion, restoring her composure for the greater good.