Shloka 14

Devanagari script

भूत्वा हि नृपति: पूर्व समाज्ञाप्य च मेदिनीम्‌ । कथमेकोड्द्य राजेन्द्र तिषछ्ठसे निर्जने वने,राजेन्द्र! तुम पहले सम्पूर्ण जगत्‌के मनुष्योंपर आधिपत्य रखकर सारे भूमण्डलपर हुक्म चलाते थे। वही तुम आज अकेले इस निर्जन वनमें कैसे पड़े हुए हो?

Transliteration

bhūtvā hi nṛpatiḥ pūrvaṃ samājñāpya ca medinīm | katham eko ’dya rājendra tiṣṭhase nirjane vane ||

Translation

ರಾಜೇಂದ್ರನೇ! ಹಿಂದೆ ನೀನು ನೃಪತಿಯಾಗಿ ಸಮಸ್ತ ಮೆದಿನಿಯನ್ನು ಆಜ್ಞಾಪಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ; ಇಂದು ನೀನು ಒಬ್ಬನೇ ಈ ನಿರ್ಜನ ವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಗೆ ಬಿದ್ದಿದ್ದೀಯ?

Word by Word

भूत्वाhaving been

हिindeed/for

नृपतिःking

पूर्वम्formerly/before

समाज्ञाप्यhaving commanded/ordered

चand

मेदिनीम्the earth

कथम्how?

एकःalone/single

इद्यhere/now (uncertain reading)

राजेन्द्रO lord of kings

तिष्ठसेyou stand/remain

निर्जनेin a deserted (place)

वनेin the forest

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

rājendra (the king addressed, i.e., Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

medinī (the earth)

vana (forest)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the impermanence of worldly power: even one who once ruled the earth can be reduced to solitude and helplessness. It implicitly urges reflection on dharma and detachment, especially after the devastation of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), contrasting his former sovereignty over the earth with his present condition—alone in a deserted forest—highlighting the reversal brought about by the war’s outcome and its aftermath.