Shloka 13

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १३५: कुन्त्याः कृष्णं प्रति संदेशः

Kuntī’s Message to Kṛṣṇa

Devanagari script

पुत्र बवाच उदके भूरियं धार्या मर्तव्यं प्रवणे मया । यस्य मे भवती नेत्री भविष्यद्धूतिदर्शिनी,पुत्र बोला--माँ! मेरा यह राज्य शत्रुरूपी जलमें डूब गया है, अब मुझे इसका उद्धार करना है, नहीं तो युद्धमें शत्रुओंका सामना करते हुए अपने प्राणोंका विसर्जन कर देना है; जब मुझे भावी वैभवका दर्शन करानेवाली तुझ-जैसी संचालिका प्राप्त है, तब मुझमें ऐसा साहस होना ही चाहिये

Transliteration

putra uvāca—udake bhūriyaṁ dhāryā martavyaṁ pravaṇe mayā | yasya me bhavatī netrī bhaviṣyaddhṛtidarśinī ||

Translation

पुत्र म्हणाला—आई! माझे हे राज्य शत्रुरूपी पाण्यात बुडाले आहे; आता मला त्याचा उद्धार करावा लागेल, नाहीतर संग्रामात शत्रूंना सामोरे जात प्राण अर्पण करावे लागतील. जेव्हा भविष्यातील वैभव दाखविणारी तुझ्यासारखी नेत्री मला लाभली आहे, तेव्हा माझ्यात असे धैर्य असणेच योग्य आहे.

Word by Word

पुत्रःthe son

उवाचsaid

उदकेin water

भूरिmuch, greatly

इयम्this

धार्याto be upheld / to be sustained

मर्तव्यम्to be died / one must die

प्रवणेin a slope / in a difficult situation

मयाby me

यस्यof whom / whose

मेmy

भवतीyou (lady)

नेत्रीleader, guide

भविष्यत्future (that which will be)

धूतिःsplendour, prosperity (as read: dhūti)

दर्शिनीshowing, revealing

Speaker

पुत्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

putra (the son)

mātā (mother, implied by address)

rājya (kingdom, implied by context)

śatru (enemies, implied by context)

yuddha (battle/war, implied by context)

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 rightful responsibility is threatened, one must choose between resolute action to restore order and honorable self-sacrifice; guidance that strengthens dhṛti (steadfast resolve) is presented as a legitimate source of courage.

What is happening in the narrative?

A son addresses his mother, describing his political situation as a kingdom submerged by enemies; he declares a twofold resolve—either to recover what is lost or to die facing the foe—while crediting his mother’s leadership and foresight for his confidence.