Shloka 6

Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)

Devanagari script

निदेशात्‌ ते महाराज गतो5सौ भरतर्षभ: । अर्जुन: पाण्डुपुत्राणां यस्मिन्‌ प्राणा: प्रतिक्ठिता:,“महाराज! आपकी आज्ञासे भरतवंशका रत्न अर्जुन तपस्याके लिये चला गया। हम सब पाण्डवोंके प्राण उसीमें बसते हैं

Transliteration

nideśāt te mahārāja gato ’sau bharatarṣabhaḥ | arjunaḥ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṁ yasmin prāṇāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。「大王よ、あなたの命により、バーラタ族の雄牛たるアルジュナは苦行を修めるため旅立った。われらパーンドゥの子らにとって、命の息そのものが彼に結びついているのだ。」

Word by Word

निदेशात्from the command/at the order

तेof you (your)

महाराजO great king

गतःgone

असौthat (man), he

भरतर्षभःbull among the Bharatas (best of Bharatas)

अर्जुनःArjuna

पाण्डुपुत्राणाम्of the sons of Pandu (of the Pandavas)

यस्मिन्in whom

प्राणाःlives, vital breaths

प्रतिष्ठिताःare established/are fixed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Mahārāja (Janamejaya)

Arjuna

Pāṇḍuputrāḥ (the Pāṇḍavas)

Bharata lineage (Bharatas)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of responsibility within a family and polity: a single steadfast, dharma-aligned hero can become the support of many. It also frames tapas (disciplined austerity) as a legitimate, purposeful means to secure strength and protection for one’s community when undertaken under rightful authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports to the king that Arjuna, acting on the king’s instruction, has set out to perform austerities. The Pāṇḍavas regard Arjuna as their chief support—so essential that their ‘life-breaths’ are said to rest in him—underscoring his central role in their survival and future success.