Shloka 11

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament on Kāla and Daiva after Draupadī’s Recovery (आरण्यक पर्व, अध्याय २५७)

Devanagari script

अहं तु प्रेषितो राजन्‌ कौरवेण महात्मना | आमन्त्रयति वो राजा धार्तराष्ट्रो जनेश्वर:

Transliteration

ahaṃ tu preṣito rājan kauraveṇa mahātmanā | āmantayati vo rājā dhārtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「大王よ、私は高徳なるカウラヴァに遣わされた者。人々の主たる王、ドリタラーシュトラが、あなたがたに招き（召し）を送っておられる。」

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• प्रेषितः: sent (as a messenger)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रेषित
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• कौरवेण: by the Kaurava
• कौरवेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• महात्मना: by the great-souled one
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• आमन्त्रयति: invites/summons
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√मन्त्र्
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, एकवचन

• वः: you (all)
• वः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धार्तराष्ट्रः: Dhritarashtra’s son / the Dhartarashtra (Duryodhana)
• धार्तराष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जन-ईश्वरः: lord of the people
• जन-ईश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनेश्वर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kaurava (unspecified Kuru-descendant sender/agent)
• Rājan (addressed king, unspecified in this verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of royal communication: a summons from a sovereign is conveyed through an authorized messenger, underscoring legitimacy, protocol, and accountability in political dealings.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker reports that he has been sent by a Kaurava of noble character to deliver Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s formal invitation/summons to the addressed king, signaling an impending meeting or negotiation.