Shloka 653

द्वैपायनह्रदे दुर्योधनान्वेषणम् / The Search for Duryodhana at Dvaipāyana Lake

Devanagari script

राजदारानुपादाय प्रययुर्नगरं प्रति । महाराज! तदनन्तर स्ट्रियोंकी रक्षामें नियुक्त हुए वृद्ध पुरुषोंने राजकुलकी महिलाओंको साथ लेकर नगरकी ओर प्रस्थान करनेकी तैयारी की

Transliteration

rājadārān upādāya prayayur nagaraṃ prati | mahārāja! tad-anantaraṃ strīṇāṃ rakṣāyāṃ niyuktāḥ vṛddha-puruṣāḥ rāja-kulasya mahilāḥ saha gṛhītvā nagaraṃ prati prasthātuṃ vyavasitāḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Mereka membawa para isteri diraja bersama-sama lalu berangkat menuju kota. Wahai raja agung, sesudah itu orang-orang tua yang ditugaskan menjaga kaum wanita menghimpunkan para wanita istana dan bersiap untuk berangkat ke kota.”

Word by Word

• राज: king (as qualifier in compound)
• राज: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दारान्: wives
• दारान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उपादाय: having taken (along)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-दा
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• प्रययुः: they went / set out
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural

• नगरम्: city
• नगरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Mahārāja (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied addressee)
• royal women (rājadārāḥ / rāja-kula-mahilāḥ)
• elderly guardians (vṛddha-puruṣāḥ)
• the city (nagara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid war and collapse, dharma requires safeguarding those who are vulnerable. The verse highlights responsible guardianship: elders entrusted with protection prioritize the safety and orderly movement of the royal women.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the preceding events, the royal women are gathered and escorted. Elderly men assigned as their protectors prepare to depart with them toward the city, indicating an organized withdrawal or relocation for safety.