Shloka 21

Virāṭanagara-nivāsa-nirṇaya

Decision to Reside in Virāṭa’s City

Devanagari script

मृदुर्वदान्यो ह्वीमांश्व॒ धार्मिक: सत्यविक्रम: । राजंस्त्वमापदा55कृष्ट: कि करिष्यसि पाण्डव

Transliteration

mṛdur vadānyo hrīmāṁś ca dhārmikaḥ satyavikramaḥ | rājan tvam āpadā kṛṣṭaḥ kiṁ kariṣyasi pāṇḍava ||

Translation

アルジュナは言った。「王よ、あなたの言葉は柔らかく、寛大で、慎みを備え、ダルマに帰依し、あなたの武勇は真実に根ざしている。それでもなお災厄へと追い込まれた。パーンドゥの子よ——そこで何をなさるのですか。」

Word by Word

• मृदुः: gentle, soft-natured
• मृदुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वदान्यः: generous
• वदान्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वदान्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ह्रीमान्: modest, possessing shame
• ह्रीमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ह्रीमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• धार्मिकः: righteous, devoted to dharma
• धार्मिकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धार्मिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यविक्रमः: of true valor / whose prowess is true
• सत्यविक्रमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यविक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• आपदा: by calamity, by misfortune
• आपदा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• आकृष्टः: drawn/dragged (into), afflicted
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कृष्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• करिष्यसि: will you do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डव: O Pāṇḍava (son of Pāṇḍu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Pāṇḍava (son of Pāṇḍu)
• King (rājan)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that personal virtues—gentleness, generosity, modesty, commitment to dharma, and truthful valor—are tested most sharply in times of calamity; ethical character must guide one’s response to crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna addresses a king, praising his noble qualities but noting that he has fallen into misfortune, and asks what course of action he intends to take in that difficult situation.