Shloka 13

Uttanka’s Inquiry and Vāsudeva’s Adhyātma Exposition

Guṇa–Ritual–Immanence Teaching

Devanagari script

“परंतप! क्या पाण्डुके पाँचों पुत्र और धृतराष्ट्रके भी सभी आत्मज संसारमें तुम्हारे साथ सुखपूर्वक विचर सकेंगे? ।।

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Parantapa! kiṃ pāṇḍoḥ pañca putrāś ca dhṛtarāṣṭrasya ca sarve ātmajāḥ saṃsāre tvayā saha sukhapūrvakaṃ vicarituṃ śakṣyanti? Svarāṣṭre te ca rājānaḥ kaccit prāpsyanti vai sukham, kauraveṣu praśānteṣu tvayā nāthena keśava?

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai pembakar musuh! Adakah lima putera Pāṇḍu, dan semua putera Dhṛtarāṣṭra juga, akan dapat bergerak di dunia ini bersama tuanku dengan aman dan bahagia? Dan, wahai Keśava—kini setelah kaum Kaurava ditenteramkan oleh tuanku, pelindung dan tuan mereka—adakah raja-raja Pāṇḍava itu benar-benar akan memperoleh kebahagiaan di negeri mereka sendiri?”

Word by Word

• स्वराष्ट्रे: in (their) own kingdom
• स्वराष्ट्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-राष्ट्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कच्चित्: I hope / is it the case that...?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित्

• प्राप्स्यन्ति: will obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• सुखम्: happiness / comfort
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कौरवेषु: among the Kauravas / when the Kauravas are...
• कौरवेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• प्रशान्तेषु: when (they are) pacified / calmed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-शम् (प्रशान्त)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नाथेन: as protector/lord
• नाथेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• केशव: O Keshava
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Pāṇḍu
• the five sons of Pāṇḍu (Pāṇḍavas)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Kauravas)
• svarāṣṭra (one's own kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a moral-political concern after conflict: true victory is measured not only by conquest but by the restoration of social harmony—whether former rivals can coexist safely, and whether rightful rulers can enjoy peace in their own realm under a stabilizing protector.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports an anxious inquiry addressed to Keśava (Kṛṣṇa): after the Kauravas have been subdued and calmed, will the Pāṇḍavas find secure happiness in their kingdom, and can both the Pāṇḍavas and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons live in the world without renewed hostility?