Shloka 10

Chapter 49: Sañjaya’s Enumeration of the Pāṇḍava Coalition (पाण्डवसैन्यसमागम-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच गावल्गणिस्तु तत्पृष्ट: सभायां कुरुसंसदि । निःश्वस्य सुभृशं दीर्घ मुहु: संचिन्तयन्निव

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca gāvalgaṇis tu tatpṛṣṭaḥ sabhāyāṃ kurusaṃsadi | niḥśvasya subhṛśaṃ dīrghaṃ muhuḥ saṃcintayann iva ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: Ketika Gāvalgaṇi ditanya demikian di balairung perhimpunan kaum Kuru, dia menarik nafas panjang yang berat, lalu untuk sekian lama tampak seolah-olah berfikir berulang-ulang.

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• गावल्गणिः: Gāvalgaṇi
• गावल्गणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गावल्गणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पृष्टः: having been asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ्
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सभायाम्: in the assembly
• सभायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• कुरु-संसदि: in the Kuru court/assembly
• कुरु-संसदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुसंसद्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• निःश्वस्य: having sighed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-श्वस्
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā/lyap), true

• सुभृशम्: very greatly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुभृश

• दीर्घम्: long (a long sigh)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मुहुः: again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः

• संचिन्तयन्: pondering
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-चिन्त्
• Form: Present active participle (śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Gāvalgaṇi
• Kuru assembly (Kuru-saṃsad / sabhā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical seriousness of speech in a royal court: before giving counsel or testimony that may affect many lives, a wise person pauses, reflects, and feels the burden of responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Kuru court, Gāvalgaṇi is questioned. He responds first not with words but with a deep sigh and visible contemplation, indicating that the matter is grave and that his forthcoming reply carries significant consequences.