Shloka 3

Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 13: Śacī’s Delay, Deva-Counsel, and Indra’s Purification

Devanagari script

प्रावेपत भयोद्धिग्ना प्रवाते कदली यथा । प्रणम्य सा हि ब्रह्माणं शिरसा तु कृताञज्जलि:,नहुषके ऐसा कहनेपर पतिव्रता देवी शची भयसे उद्विग्न हो तेज हवामें हिलनेवाले केलेके वृक्षकी भाँति काँपने लगीं। उन्होंने मस्तक झुकाकर ब्रह्माजीको प्रणाम किया और भयंकर दृष्टिवाले देवराज नहुषसे हाथ जोड़कर कहा--*देवेश्वर! मैं आपसे कुछ समयकी अवधि लेना चाहती हूँ

Transliteration

prāvepata bhayoddignā pravāte kadalī yathā | praṇamya sā hi brahmāṇaṃ śirasā tu kṛtāñjalī ||

Translation

भयाने व्याकुळ होऊन ती जोरदार वाऱ्यात हलणाऱ्या केळीच्या झाडासारखी थरथर कापली. मग तिने मस्तक झुकवून, हात जोडून ब्रह्मदेवाला प्रणाम केला.

Word by Word

प्रावेपतtrembled

भयाwith fear

उद्विग्नाagitated, alarmed

प्रवातेin a strong wind

कदलीbanana plant

यथाas, like

प्रणम्यhaving bowed

साshe

हिindeed, for

ब्रह्माणम्Brahmā

शिरसाwith (her) head

तुbut, and

कृताञ्जलिःwith hands joined (in reverence)

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śacī (Indrāṇī)

Brahmā

Nahūṣa

banana plant (kadalī)

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?

When confronted by intimidating power, the text highlights an ethical posture of humility, restraint, and seeking lawful/time-bound relief rather than rash retaliation; it also implicitly critiques coercion by showing the fear it produces in the innocent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śacī, frightened by Nahūṣa’s threatening presence, trembles like a banana plant in the wind. She bows to Brahmā with folded hands and then addresses Nahūṣa respectfully, asking for a short period of time (a respite).