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Shloka 7

आदि पर्व — अध्याय 148: कुन्ती–ब्राह्मणसंवादः (दुःखमूल-प्रश्नः) / Kuntī and the Brahmin: Inquiry into the Root of Suffering

निषादी पज्चपुत्रा तु तस्मिन्‌ भोज्ये यदृच्छया । अन्नार्थिनी समभ्यागात्‌ सपुत्रा कालचोदिता,परंतु दैवेच्छासे उस भोजके समय एक भीलनी अपने पाँच बेटोंके साथ वहाँ भोजनकी इच्छासे आयी, मानो कालने ही उसे प्रेरित करके वहाँ भेजा था। वह भीलनी मदिरा पीकर मतवाली हो चुकी थी। उसके पुत्र भी शराब पीकर मस्त थे। राजन! शराबके नशेमें बेहोश होनेके कारण अपने सब पुत्रोंके साथ वह उसी घरमें सो गयी। उस समय वह अपनी सुध- बुध खोकर मृतक-सी हो रही थी। रातमें जब सब लोग सो गये, उस समय सहसा बड़े जोरकी आँधी चली। तब भीमसेनने उस जगह आग लगा दी, जहाँ पुरोचन सो रहा था। फिर उन्होंने लाक्षागृहके प्रमुख द्वारपर आग लगायी

niṣādī pañcaputrā tu tasmin bhojye yadṛcchayā | annārthinī samabhyāgāt saputrā kālacoditā ||

Vaiśampāyana disse: Por acaso, naquele momento do banquete, chegou ali uma mulher Niṣāda (das tribos da floresta) em busca de alimento, acompanhada de seus cinco filhos, como se fosse impelida pelo próprio Tempo—Kāla. No desenrolar do destino, sua chegada torna-se um instrumento involuntário na trama maior em torno da casa de laca, fazendo emergir uma dura tensão ética: os poderosos buscam sobrevivência e estratégia, enquanto os vulneráveis são arrastados a consequências que não escolheram nem compreenderam.

निषादीa Nishada woman (tribal woman)
निषादी:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनिषादिन् (स्त्री. निषादी)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
पञ्चपुत्राhaving five sons
पञ्चपुत्रा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपञ्चपुत्र (पञ्च + पुत्र)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
तस्मिन्in that
तस्मिन्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
भोज्येat the meal/feast (place/time of eating)
भोज्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभोज्य
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
यदृच्छयाby chance, accidentally
यदृच्छया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootयदृच्छा
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
अन्नार्थिनीseeking food
अन्नार्थिनी:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्नार्थिन् (स्त्री. अन्नार्थिनी)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
समभ्यागात्came/arrived
समभ्यागात्:
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + अभि + आ + गम्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
सपुत्राtogether with (her) sons
सपुत्रा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसपुत्र (स + पुत्र)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
कालचोदिताimpelled by Time/fate
कालचोदिता:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकालचोदित (काल + चोदित)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
N
Niṣādī (tribal woman)
F
five sons (pañcaputrāḥ)
K
kāla (Time/Fate)

Educational Q&A

The verse foregrounds kāla (Time/fate) as a force that can draw ordinary, vulnerable people into the designs of the powerful. Ethically, it invites reflection on unintended victims and the moral cost that can accompany political survival and counter-plotting.

During a time of eating/feasting, a Niṣāda woman arrives by chance seeking food, accompanied by her five sons. The narrator frames her arrival as if propelled by Time, setting up her later role in the events connected with the lac-house plot.