Shloka 12

Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel

Devanagari script

त्रयोदशश्वैव सुदुस्तरो5य- मज्ञायमानैर्भवतां समीपे | क्लेशानसह्ा[ान्‌ विविधान्‌ सहद्धि- महात्मभिश्नापि वने निविष्टम्‌

Transliteration

trayodaśaś caiva sudustaro ’yam ajñāyamānaiḥ bhavatāṃ samīpe | kleśān asahān vividhān sahadbhiḥ mahātmabhiś cāpi vane niviṣṭam ||

Translation

この十三年目は、まことに越えがたい歳月であった。だが彼ら高徳の人々は、汝らのすぐ傍らにありながら正体を知られず、耐え難いさまざまの苦難を忍び、ついにそれを成し遂げた。しかもその前に、すでに十二年を森に住んでいたのである。

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'trayodaśa', 'meaning': 'thirteenth (year)'}, {'term': 'sudustara', 'meaning': 'very difficult to cross/overcome'}, {'term': 'ayam', 'meaning': 'this'}, {'term': 'ajñāyamāna', 'meaning': 'not being recognized

• remaining unknown'}, {'term': 'bhavatām samīpe', 'meaning': 'in your presence/near you'}, {'term': 'kleśa', 'meaning': 'affliction, hardship, suffering'}, {'term': 'asaha', 'meaning': 'unbearable, intolerable'}, {'term': 'vividhān', 'meaning': 'various, manifold'}, {'term': 'sahadbhiḥ', 'meaning': 'enduring, bearing (patiently)'}, {'term': 'mahātmabhiḥ', 'meaning': 'by great-souled/noble persons'}, {'term': 'vane', 'meaning': 'in the forest'}, {'term': 'niviṣṭam', 'meaning': 'dwelt, stayed, settled (in)'}]

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Pāṇḍavas (implied: the 'mahātmānaḥ')
• Kauravas/Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s side (implied by 'bhavatām samīpe')
• Forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kṛṣṇa highlights the moral weight of the Pāṇḍavas’ fulfilled vow: they endured twelve years of forest exile and the extremely difficult thirteenth year in concealment, even while near their opponents. The ethical implication is that a rightful claim strengthened by disciplined endurance and truthfulness cannot be dismissed without adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the opening of Udyoga Parva, Kṛṣṇa argues on behalf of the Pāṇḍavas during the diplomatic phase before war. He reminds the Kaurava side that the Pāṇḍavas successfully completed both the forest exile and the incognito year, bearing severe hardships, and therefore their return and demands are legitimate.