Shloka 653

द्वैपायनह्रदे दुर्योधनान्वेषणम् / The Search for Duryodhana at Dvaipāyana Lake

Devanagari script

राजदारानुपादाय प्रययुर्नगरं प्रति । महाराज! तदनन्तर स्ट्रियोंकी रक्षामें नियुक्त हुए वृद्ध पुरुषोंने राजकुलकी महिलाओंको साथ लेकर नगरकी ओर प्रस्थान करनेकी तैयारी की

Transliteration

rājadārān upādāya prayayur nagaraṃ prati | mahārāja! tad-anantaraṃ strīṇāṃ rakṣāyāṃ niyuktāḥ vṛddha-puruṣāḥ rāja-kulasya mahilāḥ saha gṛhītvā nagaraṃ prati prasthātuṃ vyavasitāḥ |

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「王妃たちを伴い、彼らは都へ向けて出立した。大王よ、そののち女たちの護衛に任じられた長老たちは王家の婦人たちを集め、都へ発つ支度を整えた。」

Word by Word

• राज: king (as qualifier in compound)
• राज: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दारान्: wives
• दारान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उपादाय: having taken (along)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-दा
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• प्रययुः: they went / set out
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural

• नगरम्: city
• नगरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Mahārāja (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied addressee)
• royal women (rājadārāḥ / rāja-kula-mahilāḥ)
• elderly guardians (vṛddha-puruṣāḥ)
• the city (nagara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid war and collapse, dharma requires safeguarding those who are vulnerable. The verse highlights responsible guardianship: elders entrusted with protection prioritize the safety and orderly movement of the royal women.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the preceding events, the royal women are gathered and escorted. Elderly men assigned as their protectors prepare to depart with them toward the city, indicating an organized withdrawal or relocation for safety.