Shloka 19

Āśvamedhika-parva Adhyāya 1 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament by the Gaṅgā and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel

Devanagari script

अश्रुत्वा तस्य धीरस्य वाक्यानि मधुराण्यहम्‌ । फल प्राप्प महद्‌ दुःखं निमग्न: शोकसागरे

Transliteration

aśrutvā tasya dhīrasya vākyāni madhurāṇy aham | phalaṁ prāpya mahad duḥkhaṁ nimagnaḥ śokasāgare ||

Translation

त्या धीर पुरुषाचे मधुर वचन न ऐकता मला महान् दुःखरूपी फळ मिळाले; मी शोकसागरात बुडालो आहे।

Word by Word

• अश्रुत्वा: having not heard
• अश्रुत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद-भावार्थ, —, —, —

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• धीरस्य: of the steadfast/wise (one)
• धीरस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वाक्यानि: words/speeches
• वाक्यानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• मधुराणि: sweet/pleasant
• मधुराणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यबन्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद-भावार्थ, —, —, —

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दुःखम्: sorrow/pain
• दुःखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निमग्नः: sunk/immersed
• निमग्नः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + मग्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मज्ज्)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन, क्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally

• शोक-सागरे: in the ocean of grief
• शोक-सागरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक + सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशमग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura (implied by the Hindi gloss as the 'dhīra' counselor)
• Śoka-sāgara (ocean of grief, metaphor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ignoring wise and well-intentioned counsel leads to painful consequences; ethical discernment includes the humility to listen, and the 'fruit' (phala) of neglect is sorrow and remorse.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker reflects on past failure to heed a wise person's gentle counsel (traditionally understood as Vidura’s), and laments that this disregard has resulted in overwhelming grief, expressed through the metaphor of being drowned in an ocean of sorrow.