Shloka 3

Gāndhārī’s Petition for a Vision of the Departed (गान्धार्याः प्रार्थना—दिव्यदर्शनप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

यस्य पुत्रशतं श्रीमदभवद्‌ बाहुशालिन: । नागायुतबलो राजा स दग्धो हि दवाग्निना

Transliteration

yasya putraśataṁ śrīmad abhavad bāhuśālinaḥ | nāgāyutabalō rājā sa dagdho hi davāgninā ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira disse: “Aquele rei—glorioso, de braços fortes e com a força de dez mil elefantes—que possuía um esplêndido centenar de filhos, ainda assim foi queimado até a morte por uma conflagração na floresta. Assim, nem os mais poderosos e prósperos estão além do alcance do destino; por isso, refreia o orgulho e apega-te ao dharma com humildade.”

Word by Word

यस्यwhose

पुत्रशतम्a hundred sons

श्रीमत्splendid, illustrious

अभवत्was, came to be

बाहुशालिनःof the strong-armed one

नागायुतबलःhaving the strength of ten thousand elephants

राजाthe king

सःhe

दग्धःburnt

हिindeed, for

दवाग्निनाby the forest-fire

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

a king (unnamed in this verse)

forest fire (davāgni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly greatness—sons, prosperity, and immense strength—does not guarantee safety. The verse underscores impermanence and the need to abandon pride, accepting human vulnerability while adhering to dharma with humility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira cites an example of a supremely powerful and prosperous king who, despite having a hundred sons and extraordinary might, was consumed by a forest fire—used as a moral illustration about the fragility of life and fortune.