Shloka 19

Vāraṇāvata-prasaṃsā and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure (वरणावत-प्रशंसा तथा पाण्डव-प्रयाणम्)

Devanagari script

ततोडन्योन्यमवैक्षन्त व्रीडयावनतानना: । तस्या योगमविन्दन्तो भृशं चोत्कण्ठिताभवन्‌

Transliteration

tato 'nyonyam avaikṣanta vrīḍayāvanatānanāḥ | tasyā yogam avindanto bhṛśaṃ cotkaṇṭhitā abhavan |

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ലജ്ജയാൽ മുഖം താഴ്ത്തി അവർ പരസ്പരം നോക്കി. അതിന് മാർഗം കണ്ടെത്താനാകാതെ അവർ അത്യന്തം വ്യാകുലരായി.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अन्योन्यम्: each other, mutually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य

• अवैक्षन्त: they looked (at)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-ईक्ष्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• व्रीडया: with shame/modesty
• व्रीडया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रीडा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• अवनताननाः: having faces bent down (downcast-faced)
• अवनताननाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवनतानन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तस्याः: of her
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• योगम्: means, method, device
• योगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अविन्दन्तः: not finding
• अविन्दन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-विद्
• Form: Present active participle (Śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भृशम्: exceedingly, greatly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम्

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

• उत्कण्ठिताः: anxious, eager, distressed
• उत्कण्ठिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्कण्ठित
• Form: Past passive participle (Kta), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अभवन्: they became, were
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral-psychological force of vrīḍā (shame/modesty): when one recognizes impropriety or failure in a questionable intention, the mind turns inward (downcast faces) and becomes agitated. It implicitly points to social-ethical restraint and the inner consequences of conflicted intent.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of people, embarrassed, exchange glances with lowered faces. They cannot discover a workable method to carry out their intended plan, and this inability makes them intensely restless and anxious.