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Shloka 3

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Saṃvāda: Anuśocana, Nimittāni, and Vidura’s Warning

अप्लवे5म्भसि मग्नानामप्रतिछे निमज्जताम्‌ । पाज्चाली पाण्डुपुत्राणां नौरेषा पारगाभवत्‌,पाण्डवलोग नौका और आधारसे रहित जलनमें गोते खा रहे थे अर्थात्‌ संकटके अथाह सागरमें डूब रहे थे, किंतु यह पांचालराजकुमारी इनके लिये पार लगानेवाली नौका बन गयी

aplāve ’mbhasi magnānām apratiṣṭhe nimajjatām | pāñcālī pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ naur eṣā pāragābhavat ||

നൗകയില്ലാത്തതും ആശ്രയമില്ലാത്തതുമായ ജലത്തിൽ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും മുങ്ങിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്ന പാണ്ഡുപുത്രന്മാർക്കായി ഈ പാഞ്ചാലി അവരെ അക്കരെയെത്തിക്കുന്ന നൗകയായി മാറി.

अप्लवेin (water) without a boat/raft; without means of crossing
अप्लवे:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootअप्लव (a-plava)
Formneuter, locative, singular
अम्भसिin water
अम्भसि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअम्भस्
Formneuter, locative, singular
मग्नानाम्of those sunk/immersed
मग्नानाम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootमग्न (√मज्ज्)
Formmasculine, genitive, plural
अप्रतिछेin (a place/state) without support/refuge
अप्रतिछे:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootअप्रतिछ (a-praticcha)
Formneuter, locative, singular
निमज्जताम्of those sinking down
निमज्जताम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootनिमज्जत् (नि+√मज्ज्)
Formmasculine, genitive, plural
पाञ्चालीPañcālī (Draupadī)
पाञ्चाली:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपाञ्चाली
Formfeminine, nominative, singular
पाण्डुपुत्राणाम्for/of the sons of Pāṇḍu (the Pāṇḍavas)
पाण्डुपुत्राणाम्:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डुपुत्र
Formmasculine, genitive, plural
नौःboat
नौः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनौ
Formfeminine, nominative, singular
एषाthis (she)
एषा:
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
Formfeminine, nominative, singular
पारगाone who leads across; ferrying to the far shore
पारगा:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपारग
Formfeminine, nominative, singular
अभवत्became/was
अभवत्:
TypeVerb
Root√भू
Formimperfect (laṅ), 3rd, singular

कर्ण उवाच

K
Karna
P
Pāñcālī (Draupadī)
P
Pāṇḍuputrāḥ (Pāṇḍavas)
B
boat (nauḥ)
W
water/flood (ambhas)

Educational Q&A

In extreme adversity, when conventional supports collapse, a righteous and steadfast ally can become the very means of deliverance; the verse elevates Draupadī as a sustaining moral and strategic force for the Pāṇḍavas.

Karna, speaking in the royal assembly context, uses a vivid metaphor: the Pāṇḍavas are like men drowning in a supportless, unfordable flood, and Draupadī (Pāñcālī) is portrayed as the boat that enables them to reach safety—i.e., to endure and ultimately overcome their calamity.