Shloka 29

अध्याय १: महाप्रस्थानारम्भः

The Commencement of the Great Departure

Devanagari script

पाण्डवाश्न महात्मानो द्रौपदी च यशस्विनी । कृतोपवासा: कौरव्य प्रययु: प्राडमुखास्तत:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | pāṇḍavāś ca mahātmāno draupadī ca yaśasvinī | kṛtopavāsāḥ kauravya prayayuḥ prāṅmukhās tataḥ ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ତାପରେ ମହାତ୍ମା ପାଣ୍ଡବମାନେ ଓ ଯଶସ୍ୱିନୀ ଦ୍ରୌପଦୀ ମଧ୍ୟ ଉପବାସ-ବ୍ରତ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରି, ପୂର୍ବମୁଖ ହୋଇ ସେଠାରୁ ପ୍ରସ୍ଥାନ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• महात्मानः: great-souled (ones)
• महात्मानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्रौपदी: Draupadi
• द्रौपदी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौपदी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

• यशस्विनी: renowned, illustrious
• यशस्विनी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विन्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतोपवासाः: having undertaken fasting (having performed a fast)
• कृतोपवासाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-उपवास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कौरव्य: O descendant of Kuru (Kauravya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव्य
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• प्राङ्मुखाः: facing east (with faces turned eastward)
• प्राङ्मुखाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ्मुख
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• कुरुनन्दन: O joy of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु-नन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• Draupadī
• Kauravya (descendant of Kuru; addressee)
• East (pūrva diś)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic renunciation: even those who have fulfilled worldly duties embrace self-restraint (upavāsa) and proceed with deliberate resolve. Austerity here functions as ethical purification and a conscious turning away from attachment at life’s end.

What is happening in the narrative?

After arranging the kingdom’s succession, the Pāṇḍavas and Draupadī begin their Mahāprasthāna (great departure). They take up fasting as a vow and start walking eastward, marking the commencement of their final, ascetic journey.