Shloka 44

Devanagari script

अनागच्छत्सु पुत्रेषु भैक्षकालेडभिगच्छति । धार्तराष्ट्रहता न स्युर्विज्ञाय कुरुपुज्वा:,वे ऐसे लगते थे, जैसे पूर्णमासी तिथिको मेघोंकी घटासे निकलकर चन्द्रमा और सूर्य प्रकाशित हो रहे हों। इधर भिक्षाका समय बीत जानेपर भी जब पुत्र नहीं लौटे, तब उनकी माता कुन्तीदेवी स्नेहवश अनेक प्रकारकी चिन्ताओंमें डूबकर उनके विनाशकी आशंका करने लगीं--“कहीं ऐसा तो नहीं हुआ कि धृतराष्ट्रके पुत्रोंने कुरुश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवोंको पहचानकर उनकी हत्या कर डाली हो? अथवा दृढ़तापूर्वक वैरभावको मनमें रखनेवाले महाभयंकर मायावी राक्षसोंने तो मेरे बच्चोंको नहीं मार डाला? क्या महात्मा व्यासके भी निश्चित मतके विपरीत कोई बात हो गयी?”

Transliteration

anāgacchatsu putreṣu bhaikṣakāle ’bhigacchati | dhārtarāṣṭrahatā na syur vijñāya kuru-puṅgavāḥ ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: Когда настало время просить подаяние, а сыновья всё не возвращались, Кунти, охваченная материнской любовью, погрузилась во множество тревожных мыслей и стала страшиться их гибели: «Неужели сыновья Дхритараштры, узнав лучших из рода Куру, убили их?»

Word by Word

अनागच्छत्सुwhen (they) were not returning

पुत्रेषुin/among the sons

भैक्षकालात्after the time for alms/begging-meal

अभिगच्छतिapproaches/comes to (a conclusion/realization)

धार्तराष्ट्रहताःkilled by the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra

नnot

स्युःmight be / would be

विज्ञायhaving recognized/known

कुरुपुङ्गवाःthe best of the Kurus (i.e., the Pāṇḍavas)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Dhārtarāṣṭras (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons / Kauravas)

Kuru lineage

Kuru-puṅgavas (the foremost Kurus, i.e., the Pāṇḍavas implied)

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?

The verse highlights how adharma can arise within one’s own family: when rivalry dominates, even recognizing a kinsman may lead to violence. It also portrays the ethical weight of a mother’s protective concern, anticipating the larger collapse of kinship duties that culminates in the Kurukṣetra war.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the time for alms passes and her sons have not returned, Kuntī becomes fearful. She suspects that Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons (the Kauravas) may have recognized the Pāṇḍavas and killed them, expressing foreboding about hostile intent within the Kuru family.