Shloka 11

सोमक–जन्तु उपाख्यानम्

Somaka–Jantu Exemplar: The Quest for a Hundred Sons

Devanagari script

बेटेको सान्त्वना देकर राजा अन्तःपुरसे बाहर निकले और पुरोहित तथा मन्त्रियोंके साथ पुनः मन्त्रणा-गृहमें जा बैठे

Transliteration

bālakān sānṭvayitvā rājā antaḥpurāt bahiḥ niṣkramya purohitena mantribhiś ca saha punaḥ mantraṇā-gṛhe upaviśat

Translation

子らを慰め終えると、王は内宮を出た。ついで家の祭官と群臣を伴い、再び評議の間へ戻って席に着き、私の悲しみを離れて国の務めと議に向き合った。

Word by Word

बेटकेin the sitting/assembly (while seated)

सान्त्वनाम्consolation

दत्त्वाhaving given

राजाthe king

अन्तःपुरात्from the inner apartments (harem/palace interior)

बहिःoutside

निष्क्रान्तःhaving gone out / having emerged

पुरोहितेनwith the priest

मन्त्रिभिःwith the ministers

सहtogether with

पुनःagain

मन्त्रणागृहम्the council-chamber

जगामwent

उपविवेशsat down

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

rājā (king)

bālakāḥ (children)

antaḥpura (inner palace)

purohita (royal priest)

mantrinaḥ (ministers)

mantraṇā-gṛha (council chamber)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must balance compassion with responsibility: he offers comfort to dependents in private sorrow, yet promptly returns to counsel and governance, guided by priestly and ministerial advice.

What is happening in the narrative?

The king first consoles the children within the inner quarters, then exits the private space and, together with the royal priest and ministers, goes back to the council hall to resume deliberations.