Shloka 31

ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्

Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief

Devanagari script

तमुवाच किल पृथा पुन: पृथुलवक्षसम्‌

Transliteration

tam uvāca kila pṛthā punaḥ pṛthulavakṣasam

Translation

ਤਦ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਪૃਥਾ (ਕੁੰਤੀ) ਨੇ ਫਿਰ ਉਸ ਵਿਸ਼ਾਲ-ਵਕਸ਼ ਵੀਰ ਨੂੰ ਆਖਿਆ—ਯੁੱਧ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਇਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਦੁੱਖ ਅਤੇ ਦ੍ਰਿੜ੍ਹ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਯ, ਦੋਵੇਂ ਨੂੰ ਧਰਮ ਅਤੇ ਸੰਯਮ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ ਰਾਹ ਦਿਖਾਉਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• किल: indeed/it is said
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल

• पृथा: Pritha (Kunti)
• पृथा: Karta
• Type: Noun (Proper name)
• Root: पृथा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• पृथुलवक्षसम्: broad-chested (one)
• पृथुलवक्षसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथुलवक्षस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• पृथा (Kuntī)
• युधिष्ठिर (implied by speaker tag)
• the broad-chested person addressed (unspecified in this pāda)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse functions as a narrative hinge: Kuntī resumes speaking, signaling continued moral instruction—especially relevant in Śānti Parva, where post-war governance and dharma are emphasized over vengeance or despair.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kuntī (Pṛthā) speaks once more to a ‘broad-chested’ hero (contextually, a principal Kuru figure), indicating an ongoing dialogue of counsel in the immediate post-war setting that frames the teachings of Śānti Parva.