Shloka 16

Devanagari script

विहीनान्‌ सर्वकामेभ्यो दासभावमुपागतान्‌ | धर्मपाशपरिक्षिप्तानशक्तानिव विक्रमे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | vihīnān sarvakāmebhyo dāsabhāvam upāgatān | dharmapāśaparikṣiptān aśaktān iva vikrame ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ସମସ୍ତ ଇଚ୍ଛିତ ଭୋଗରୁ ବଞ୍ଚିତ ହୋଇ ସେମାନେ ଦାସଭାବକୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ହୋଇଥିଲେ; ଧର୍ମର ପାଶରେ ବନ୍ଧା ଥିବାରୁ ସେମାନେ ଯେନ ପରାକ୍ରମ ଦେଖାଇବାକୁ ଅଶକ୍ତ ଲାଗୁଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• विहीनान्: deprived, bereft
• विहीनान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विहीन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वकामेभ्यः: from all desired enjoyments
• सर्वकामेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वकाम
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

• दासभावम्: the state of slavery
• दासभावम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासभाव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपागतान्: having reached/attained
• उपागतान्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

• धर्मपाशपरिक्षिप्तान्: bound/ensnared by the noose of dharma
• धर्मपाशपरिक्षिप्तान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मपाशपरिक्षिप्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अशक्तान्: unable, powerless
• अशक्तान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशक्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• विक्रमे: in valor/heroic action
• विक्रमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍavas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when wronged, adherence to dharma can restrain immediate retaliation; moral-legal bonds may render the righteous seemingly powerless, highlighting the tension between justice, restraint, and the impulse to use force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports the condition of the Pāṇḍavas after their loss: stripped of wealth and autonomy and treated as slaves, they do not act with their usual heroism because they are constrained by dharma and the obligations arising from the dice-game outcome.