Shloka 22

Arjuna’s Lament, the End of the Yadus, and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure

Devanagari script

राजंस्त्वयानुपृष्टानां सुहृदां न: सुहृत्पुरे । विप्रशापविमूढानां निघ्नतां मुष्टिभिर्मिथ: ॥ २२ ॥ वारुणीं मदिरां पीत्वा मदोन्मथितचेतसाम् । अजानतामिवान्योन्यं चतु:पञ्चावशेषिता: ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

rājaṁs tvayānupṛṣṭānāṁ suhṛdāṁ naḥ suhṛt-pure vipra-śāpa-vimūḍhānāṁ nighnatāṁ muṣṭibhir mithaḥ

Translation

ಹೇ ರಾಜನ್! ದ್ವಾರಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ನಮ್ಮ ಸುಹೃದರು ಮತ್ತು ಬಂಧುಗಳ ವಿಷಯವನ್ನು ನೀನು ಕೇಳಿದ್ದೀ; ಕೇಳು. ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರ ಶಾಪದಿಂದ ಮೋಹಿತರಾಗಿ ಅವರು ಕೊಳೆತ ಅಕ್ಕಿಯಿಂದ ಮಾಡಿದ ವಾರುಣೀ ಮದ್ಯವನ್ನು ಕುಡಿದು ಮದೋನ್ಮತ್ತಚಿತ್ತರಾದರು; ಪರಸ್ಪರರನ್ನು ಗುರುತಿಸದೆ ಕಡ್ಡಿಗಳಿಂದ ಒಬ್ಬರನ್ನೊಬ್ಬರು ಹೊಡೆದರು; ಈಗ ನಾಲ್ಕೈದು ಮಂದಿ ಮಾತ್ರ ಉಳಿದಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

Synonyms

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• anupṛṣṭānām: of those inquired about
• anupṛṣṭānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-pṛcch (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन) — ‘of those who were asked after’

• suhṛdām: of (our) friends
• suhṛdām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suhṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• naḥ: our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन) — ‘of us/our’

• suhṛt-pure: in the city of friends (Dvārakā)
• suhṛt-pure: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suhṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘city of friends’ (Dvārakā); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• vipra-śāpa-vimūḍhānām: of those deluded by a brāhmaṇa’s curse
• vipra-śāpa-vimūḍhānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + śāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + vi-mūḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound ‘deluded by brāhmaṇas’ curse’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nighnatām: of those killing
• nighnatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-han (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural — ‘of those striking/killing’

• muṣṭibhiḥ: with fists
• muṣṭibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mithaḥ: mutually
• mithaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mithaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Reciprocal adverb (परस्परार्थक-अव्यय)

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• Yādavas
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the destruction of the Yadavas?

It states that the Yadavas, bewildered due to a brāhmaṇa’s curse, ended up striking and killing one another in Dvārakā.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī tell King Parīkṣit about the brāhmaṇa curse?

Because Parīkṣit asked about the fate of the Lord’s associates in Dvārakā, and the curse explains the immediate cause behind their mutual destruction.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

It cautions that arrogance and offense toward saintly persons can cloud judgment and lead even strong communities into self-destruction.