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Shloka 8

Adhyāya 160: Arjuna’s Envoy-Message—Critique of Borrowed Valor and Pre-dawn Mobilization

द्वादशैव तु वर्षाणि वने धिष्ण्याद्‌ विवासित: । संवत्सरं विराटस्य दास्यमास्थाय चोषित:,“बारह वर्षोतक तुम राज्यसे निर्वासित होकर वनमें रहे और एक वर्षतक तुम्हें राजा विराटका दास बनकर रहना पड़ा

dvādaśaiva tu varṣāṇi vane dhiṣṇyād vivāsitaḥ | saṃvatsaraṃ virāṭasya dāsyam āsthāya coṣitaḥ ||

ウルーカは言った。「十二年のあいだ、そなたは正当な座から追われて森に住み、さらに一年、ヴィラータ王の国で僕(しもべ)の身として過ごさねばならなかった。かくして流謫と屈辱を耐えた――いまや正義と正当な償いの問題が、両陣営の前に立っている。」

द्वादशtwelve
द्वादश:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootद्वादशन्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
तुbut/and
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
वर्षाणिyears
वर्षाणि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ष
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
वनेin the forest
वने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवन
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
धिष्ण्यात्from the royal seat/kingdom (seat of power)
धिष्ण्यात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootधिष्ण्य
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
विवासितःbanished/exiled
विवासितः:
TypeVerb
Rootवि-वास्
Formक्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (past participle)
संवत्सरम्a year
संवत्सरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसंवत्सर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
विराटस्यof Virāṭa
विराटस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootविराट
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
दास्यम्servitude/service
दास्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदास्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आस्थायhaving undertaken/assuming
आस्थाय:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-स्था
Formल्यप् (क्त्वा-र्थे), Parasmaipada (gerund)
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
उषितःdwelt/stayed
उषितः:
TypeVerb
Rootवस्
Formक्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Active (past participle)

उलूक उवाच

U
Ulūka
V
Virāṭa
F
forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

The verse foregrounds the moral weight of endured injustice: prolonged exile and enforced low status intensify the ethical claim for restitution. It frames the coming war not as sudden aggression but as the culmination of unaddressed wrongs and violated rightful order.

Ulūka, speaking in the diplomatic-war context of the Udyoga Parva, recalls the Pandavas’ mandated hardships—twelve years in the forest and one year living in concealment at Virāṭa’s court in a servant-like condition—using this as a pointed reminder in the tense negotiations preceding the Kurukṣetra conflict.